


The Will to Live

by LadyinTime



Category: GOT7
Genre: 2Jae, Abuse, Angst, Character Death, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Mafia AU, Mafia Boss Im Jaebeom, Mafia Park Jinyoung, Markjin, Minor Character Death, Minor Choi Youngjae/Im Jaebum | JB, Minor Violence, Violence, mafia, mafia got7
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-10
Updated: 2020-07-28
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:48:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 28
Words: 82,890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21750049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyinTime/pseuds/LadyinTime
Summary: It was completely crazy, and Jinyoung would question himself for months to come, but when the most terrifying Boss of the underworld stood and held his hand out to take, Jinyoung grabbed hold.
Relationships: Park Jinyoung/Mark Tuan
Comments: 166
Kudos: 325





	1. Wanting to live

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to the first chapter of my new story! This idea has been on my mind for a while, and is based on chapter 33 of my series '99 days of Markjin.' I hope you enjoy!
> 
> Ratings and tags will be updated at the story progresses.

Life, at times, is filled with ups and downs. In some lives, life is simply downs. Jinyoung realized that on the eve of his 13th birthday. 

_“Get out of the school you stupid homo!”_

_“You should go get that fixed. I heard gay is contagious!”_

_“Ew, he touched me. I don’t want to date you, you queer!”_

The taunts had followed him like an obsessed lover. On the eve of his 13th birthday his best friend, whom had been scared of being outed, outed him. He was hit with the harsh reality of how cruel kids could be. 

Soon, the taunts became physical. Fights were apart of his daily routine, and though he never went down without a fight, it was hard to take on 3 to 5 boys at once. Jinyoung wasn’t a fighter, he never had been. His strength had always been his mind. 

_“Can he be fixed?”_

_“He’s such a worthless son.”_

_“He’s not my brother!”_

His home life was no better. His father no longer looked at him, and it hurt when his mother turned her eyes on him. The pity, the sorrow, the look of failure. She had failed as a mother, he had failed as a son. His sisters were no different.

Shortly after his 16th birthday, they sent him away. They didn’t care where he went, they simply wanted him gone. He was the worthless son, the biggest disappointment. Jinyoung knew what they wanted so he gave it to them. He never made it to his destination, he got off the bus midway. They wanted him gone so he disappeared. 

Today, he turned 17. He had no home, no job, and an empty stomach. He had applied everywhere in the area but no organization would hire him without an address. He had considered lying about his residency, but he worried about background checks. 

Rain fell on him as he sat in the empty alleyway. It was cold, his skin ice, and his jacket had been stolen long ago. Most of the clothes he had brought with him had. 

He no longer had a reason to live, so why should he bother?

“Who the hell is this? Move kid.” A gruff voice spoke from above him. 

Lifting his head to the man now standing in front of him, he wondered why he should be the one to move. He was there first. He wasn’t bothering anyone, he wasn’t even visible from the main street. Why was this man bothering him?

“I don’t have to move for you.” He had no strength to stand anyway. He hadn’t eaten anything substantial in almost 24 hours. 

A deep pitched laughter sounded behind the man and Jinyoungs eyes shifted again. The second man was nowhere near as big as the man in front of him, but there was something more intimidating about him. There was fire behind that carefree laugh. 

“Hear that Beomseok, he doesn’t have to move for you.”

The gruff man, Beomseok, growled before reaching in his pocket and shoving it in Jinyoungs face. It took a full 5 seconds to realize it was a gun. Jinyoung stared into the muzzle. Was today the day he died? It would be the perfect gift. His life was no longer worth living. 

“Get the fuck out of this alleyway.” Beomseok hissed. 

“Boss isn’t going to like this.” The man singsonged behind. He scratched the back of his head in a nonchalant way and his eyes shifted to the door of the building Jinyong leaned against. It would seem they were waiting for someone. 

“I’m not in the way. I’m not blocking whoever you’re waiting for. So leave me alone.”

Warning bells rang in Jinyoung's head as the man cocked his gun. He wondered if his parents would be informed when he died. Somehow, he had managed to keep his ID so the authorities would probably be able to identify his body.

“I’ll give you 5 seconds to remove yourself from this alleyway.”

5 seconds left to live was more than enough.

“5.”

He looked at the gun.

“4.”

He looked at the man standing behind.

“3” 

He looked up at the gruff man.

“2.”

He leaned his head back, hitting the brick wall.

“1.”

Why did it have to rain on a day like today?

The sound of the door slamming open captured the attention of the 3 men. The gruff man froze, hand still on the trigger, while the man behind straightened his posture. 

“Boss.” Both men greeted, voiced dripping with the utmost respect. Whoever had entered the alleyway demanded their respect. The air had shifted. 

Jinyoung's head rolled to the side. Two new frames stood at the open door but it was obvious who the important one was. He stood, back straight, cigarette hanging from his lips. His umbrella was held by the man at his side and he slowly shifted until his gaze met the man standing at the back. 

“What’s going on here, Jackson?” The man's voice was soft, but firm. His back stood straight as he took in the view. His looks were only intensified by the high end suit and dress shoes.

“Beomseok was going to shoot an innocent.” Jackson spoke in a clear voice. The carefree aura gone, replaced with something. Something… Jinyoung couldn’t place. 

“We don’t know if he's an innocent or not.” Beomseok defended, his finger never leaving the trigger. “For all we know he was a spy sent to keep tabs on you, sir.”

The man stood for a moment before taking slow steps. He sent a slow nod to Jackson who smiled briefly before stoning his face. 

Jinyoung watched in fascination as the man with the umbrella followed his every move, and how Beomseok shifted to make room. 

Bending his knees, the strange man met Jinyoung at eye level. The look in his eyes mirrored Jacksons. They had a tenderness to them but the fire behind it shined brighter. Jinyoung felt that he should be scared of the man crouched in front of him, he should show him the respect that he demanded just by stepping into the alleyway. 

“Are you a spy?” The man spoke quietly, his head tilting in curiosity. Slowly, he removed the cigarette from his mouth and threw it at the foot of Beomseok to stomp out. “Do you know who I am?”

Jinyoung blinked at the question. Was he supposed too? He supposed that he could lie, say that he did so he could get shot, but something about the man made Jinyoung want to tell the truth. He didn’t want to lie to him.

“No.”

“He’s lying.” Beomseok voice spoke, loud and almost pleading. Jinyoung didn’t know why the man was pleading. “What other reason would he have to be sitting here?”

Jinyoung looked up to the gruff man before looking back at the man in front of him. Who was this man who had Beomseok, a man 3 times his size, nearly trembling in his shoes?

The man blinked slowly before a small smile formed on his lips. “May I ask your name?”

His eyes remained steadily connected to Jinyoung. Gears twisted in every which way as the stranger asked the question. Warning signs, sirens, alarms, and panic alerts sounded loud in his brain. Something told him not to give him anything that would help the man find him in the future, but Jinyoung would push those signs away. He had no way of getting out of this situation and he didn’t even know if he wanted to.

“Jinyoung.”

“Do you have a last name?”

“Park.”

The man laughed, his shoulders shaking as his eyes crinkled in glee. “Park Jinyoung? A fine name.”

The gruff man bristled at their side “Boss, you can’t be-”

“I believe I was talking to Mr. Park.” Jinyoung felt dread as the man’s smile dropped and turned to look at Beomseok. The feeling of intimidation came back ten fold. He was grateful that he wasn’t in Beomseoks shoes. “Should I remind you the definition of respect?”

“No Boss.” Beomseok gulped, sending a quick glare to Jinyoung before looking away and taking a few steps back. 

“Good.” The soft tone had returned, as had the small smile as he turned back towards Jinyoung. “As I was saying, I feel as though I can trust you to tell me the truth. What are you doing sitting in this rain? You’ll catch a cold.”

Jinyoung kept his eyes steady on the older man. They looked so tender, like he genuinely cared about his health. Jinyoung wasn’t naive enough to think that. If he really cared he would have offered to cover him with an umbrella. Interestingly enough, the only two with umbrellas were Jackson and the man. 

“I have nowhere else to go.” he whispered in response. 

The man’s eyes narrowed as he searched for any forms of a lie, his grin turning almost maniacal. “So, you are an innocent.”

“Boss, he’s-” Beomseok tried to defend.

“We don’t shoot innocents.” 

Jinyoung kept his eyes on the gaze that never left his own.

“He’s lying!”

“Kye-sang.”

The sound of a gunshot, and a body dropping to the ground would be a sound Jinyoung would never forget. He had kept his eyes on the strangers as the solid man hit the floor but he hadn’t flinched. Death wasn’t new to him. Winter had been rough. 

“I told him you wouldn’t like it.” Jackson grumbled as Kye-sang holistered his gun and closed the umbrella. The rain had stopped. 

“Now that that’s out of the way. We have something in common, we share a name, but you can call me JYP. How old are you?” Mr. Park spoke as though Beomseok wasn’t lying dead at his side. 

“17.”

“Oh, you’re my age.” Jackson took a step forward. It unnerved him how easily he handled a dead body, being only 17, but Jinyoung paid him no mind. He refused to move his gaze away from JYP until the other moved his first. Their eyes were latched together. 

“I don’t like this look in your eyes. You’re too young to look so dead.”

“I have no reason to live.” Jinyoung spoke truthfully. He had hoped Beomseok would finish what he started. After 5 years of hell, he had nothing left to offer the world. No one wanted him, he was alone. 

“Let me show you a reason.” JYP spoke quietly. He reached out a hand slowly to caress Jinyoung's cheek, closely resembling a father, before pushing wet strands out of his face. “Come, join me. I’ll give you a reason to live.”

Jinyoung's eyes widened in shock. The older Park wanted to give him a reason to live? It was ridiculous, and dangerous. What sane person would take the offer after witnessing what Jinyoung had? A dead body was still lying next to him. The man in front of him hadn’t even hesitated in giving the order, the man with the umbrella hadn’t hesitated in completing the order, and the teen standing behind hadn’t even flinched. He should be scared shitless.

Yet somehow he wasn’t. The man's gaze offered a sense of security. A security that Jinyoung hadn’t even known he wanted. It felt as though this man was offering him a family.

It was completely crazy, and Jinyoung would question himself for months to come, but when JYP stood and held his hand out to take, Jinyoung grabbed hold.


	2. Keeping up Appearances

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise! JYP is the one who pulled Jinyoung from the slums.  
> I had to keep you guys on your toes, lol. Especially if you read 99 Days.  
> I hope you enjoy!

8 years had passed since that day. 8 years since he was welcomed into JYP’s family, and 8 years since he found his reason to live.

He took a slow sip of his wine and held the glass to his lips. Today was his birthday, the anniversary of that day, and of the day he obtained the title of Underboss in the Mafia world.

JYP had been a makeshift father figure to him, to the family, but he also had his enemies. Shortly before Jinyoung's 22nd birthday, the elder Park Jinyoung had been gunned down in his home. His wife and child luckily avoiding his fate.

Within hours of his death, talk of succession took place. Caporegimes fought about who they would be willing to serve under as JYP had no underboss, and outside forces had attempted to take over territory that JYP had claimed as theirs.

His daughter was too young to take control and his wife had no intentions. Almost 2 full days after the funeral, his widow offered a solution and the Caporegimes had no choice but to agree.

Jaebeom would serve as the boss, while Jinyoung would serve as underboss, despite their young ages. Jaebeom often looked to Jinyoung as his equal. It was a brotherhood. It took effect on his 22nd birthday.

Jackson often joked that the reason it worked so well was because they were JYP’s JJ project- whatever that meant.

Settled and satisfied, it had taken 5 days to find out who had ordered the hit of their boss, and who took the shot.

Jinyoung's men had found the information quickly. No group that had been around long would ever raise their hands against JYP, and no seasoned family would infringe on their territory. Their boss was well respected, and greatly feared. Only the insane or the ignorant stood against him.

A newer group, as they had assumed, had hoped that taking out the boss would leave JYP’s family in disarray. They had thought that the family would destroy itself with the sudden death of their boss and they had planned on taking over their territory in the meantime.

The group was called TS.

Jinyoung regretted that he wasn’t the one who put a bullet through their leaders head, JB had taken him out in one clean shot through the skull, but he supposed it would have to be okay. After all, Jaebeom had served him the hitman on a silver platter.

It took the hitman 8 days to die.

Lowering his glass, he looked at the cake sitting on his desk. It was half eaten and sloppily cut. The words ‘Happy 25th Birthday, Jinyoung!’ were long gone as his friends had grabbed their own slices. Jaebeom had come with a cake, and being followed by Jackson, Youngjae, Yugyeom and Bambam, they had barged into his office to sing for him.

The ‘party’ had only lasted for 30 minutes but it left a fond memory. Those 5 were the men he entrusted everything to, the men he could trust his life to, and he knew they felt the same way. Jaebeom and Jackson had been with the previous leader years before finding him, and the other three followed shortly after.

Placing his glass next to the cake, Jinyong loosened his tie from around his neck and stuck a finger into the sweet frosting before having a taste. Youngjae had to force Yugyeom and Jackson to put the cake down as they were leaving. He had lectured them about taking the leftovers from the birthday boy. Jinyoung didn’t mind it, but Youngjae had reminded him that he hadn’t even tried a peice. Jinyoung didn’t have it in his heart to tell the others that he didn’t even like this day enough to enjoy his cake.

There were too many negatives surrounding his birthday, and honestly, there was only one voice that could put him in a better mood.

His phone rang in his pocket and he smiled at the tone. Speak of the devil.

“Jihyo.” He spoke, his smile remained. He had a soft spot for the girl, it was common knowledge. It was also common knowledge that she returned the feelings. It left others curious of their relationship and Jinyoung had walked into many rooms to find his underlings talking about them. Many of them wondered when he would make it official. They had thought she would make the perfect wife for an underboss.

Little did they know.

 _“Happy birthday! I have a surprise for you.”_ Her voice was chipper as she spoke.

Jinyoung idly wondered if it strained her voice to be so high pitched. “Something I’ll enjoy, I hope.”

The girl chuckled and Jinyoung's grin widened. Hopefully what he suspected was right. If he was, then it would be a perfect end to a decent day. He would have had a good birthday.

 _“Nothing but the best for my Jinyounggie!”_ She singsonged.

This was probably the reason there were so many rumors between the two. She was a Caporegime, in charge of finding those who Jinyoung needed found, yet she spoke as though they were old friends.

“Is it what I think it is?” Jinyoung rose to his feet, straightening his tie and pulling it firmly around his neck.

_“Of course, in the basement. We found him just 2 hours ago.”_

He was going to meet a traitor but he needed to keep appearances. Thankfully, he was still at his office so he didn’t have to go very far.

“I’ll be down in 20 minutes. Call Jackson.” He could have called Jackson but he figured allowing Jihyo to call him would serve as a reward. She had the strangest crush on the man.

 _“He’s already here._ ” The excitement was nearly overwhelming. He could hear the muffled screams of a man in the background. _“Wow, um- I’ll be going. Let me know if anything else is needed.”_

The girl was strange. Jihyo was great at finding people, but she wasn't good at handling what happened when they were caught. She didn’t like blood. An interesting trait for someone with a position like hers in the Mafia.

“Jihyo, good job.” He hung up quickly, skipping the goodbyes, and heading out the door. The man was accused of selling information about his routes and it was speculated that he was working with an outside vendor to take over their territory.

Little did he know that they held positive relations with most vendors, whether they worked with them or not. Taeyeon had dropped the name as soon as the traitor had questioned her team about the security of the route. The only problem was, the man had ran as soon as he realized he was caught.

It was okay though. Jihyo knew how to do her job, and Jackson had already begun the interrogation.

The grin on his face remained and only dropped once he reached the door to the basement.

He had to keep up appearances, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm glad that I've received such positive comments for the first chapter.  
> I was kind of aimlessly writing the future chapters (which have all been re-written 4 times), but I think I have finally figured out how I want this story to play out. I'm a little nervous about this. 
> 
> Thank you for your patience, comments, and kudos <3


	3. An intersting Birthday

An agonizing scream of pain greeted Jinyoung as he stepped foot into the basement, closing the door behind him. Jackson stood in front of the traitor, blade in hand as he peeled a piece of flesh from the man's shoulder. He was peeling off the family symbol.

“Jackson.”

Jackson jolted as Jinyoung broke his focus and the traitor let out another painful yell. 

“Sir.” He greeted, a warm smile on his face as he dropped the flesh he had just removed. 

“I see you’ve started.” Jinyoung spoke slowly as he walked down the steps leading to the floor of the basement. He took care to avoid the blood dousing the floor. He wasn’t a fan of getting dirty.

Jackson grinned sadistically as he moved to grab a chair for Jinyoung to sit. Jinyoung would have thanked him if he wasn’t worried about the blood staining his white shirt.

“I figured you wouldn’t want to wait long for answers.”

Shrugging a shoulder, he took in the appearance of the man sitting in front of him. Beaten, bruised, a few fingers were missing and his nose was probably broken. It had only been 20 minutes and Jackson had the man nearly beaten to death. 

“P-p-please stop. Tell him to stop.” The man cried through clenched teeth. 

Jinyoung tilted his head at the plea. It was hard to understand the man as blood was pouring out of his mouth. “Why would I do that? You’ve betrayed the family.”

Tears ran down his face as he began to plea Jacksons grace. The man's eyes hardened at the plea directed at him and he scoffed. He should know better than to ask for Jacksons grace. There was a reason Jackson had risen so high in the ranks and a reason JYP had Jackson accompany him to most interrogations. He did as asked and he took great joy in making others cry. He was ruthless.

It was the complete opposite from his normally sunny disposition. It was one of the reasons he was 3rd in command.

“Ju Hyuk Cha, why are you asking Jackson to be your saviour? I’m the only one who can stop this.”

Hyuk flinched as Jackson played with his blade and Jinyoung chuckled. The man was paying him no mind and it was beginning to annoy him. Standing from his seat, Jinyoung kicked out a leg and pushed Hyuks chair back. 

The man let out a cry as the back hit the cemented floor. He coughed to retain his breath and Jinyoung moved around to look the other directly in the eye. “Listen to me while I talk to you or I’ll have Jackson cut off your ears.”

The man squirmed, nodding his head in understanding as he finally pulled his attention away from the man who caused his pain.

Jinyoung smiled. “Good.”

He moved to sit back in his chair as Jackson lifted Hyuks chair back on all fours. 

“Now, why were you searching for information that has nothing to do with you?” He kept his tone light as he asked. As long as the man answered his questions he wouldn’t have to use Jackson. 

Hyuk glanced at Jackson as he ran a blade down his bare cheek and he gulped. “I wasn’t.”

Jinyoung sighed, leaning back in his chair. 

Jackson grinned, taking his blade and jamming it into the man's leg. He twisted it a full 360 degrees before removing it. Hyuk yelled in pain, begging for mercy. 

“You know, I’m trying to help you out but I can’t do that if you don’t tell me honestly.”

“Fuck you. Kill me” The man spat, blood mixed with spit flying from his mouth. Jinyong scrunched his nose. 

It was disgusting, as was Jackson's reflex to cut off another finger in response to the disrespect to his boss. 3 fingers now lay abandoned on the floor. At this rate the man may really die of blood loss.

“Can’t kill you until you give me answers.” Jinyoung glanced at Jackson who took a step back. “But if you die before I get my answers then I can promise you something.”

Jinyoung paused, leaning up and meeting the others gaze with hard eyes. “Should you die before I get what I want I will bring in your family. I’ll skin the flesh off of your child's body, then I’ll ship your wife to a brothel in Japan.”

“Please, don't!” The man yelled, panic in his voice at the threat to his family. “I’ll talk!”

Smiling at the change of tone, Jinyoung sat up straight. “Good, now answer my question.”

“I was approached by a man who promised me-” The man hesitated, his eyes glazing over in pain and he coughed. His breathing was labored. He looked seconds away from passing out. “He promised me a portion if he was able to secure the routes.”

Jinyoung felt irritation as the accusations were confirmed. This man had done exactly what he was accused of. His eyes narrowed as he processed the information. He ran his fingers through his hair and studied the bloodied man. 

“I need a name.”

“Kim. The name he gave was Mr. Kim” The man choked as he spat out the name.

Mr. Kim? Jinyoung didn’t know any enemy families with the surname Kim. There were only two families he could think of with the surname Kim and neither were in the business of drugs. MBK dealt with trafficking in their own territory, and SM already knew their routes. They dealt with SM on a personal level. One of their highest ranking members was the one who contacted Jinyoung about Hyuk. 

It was possible that ‘Kim’ was a rising family that was too small to be on their radar, but if they were expanding then they would be infringing on claimed territory. Jaebeom would have already been informed. 

He let the other man finish his coughing, his head falling forward as his consciousness wavered. He had lost too much blood and was in need of medical attention. He would probably be dead within the hour. 

“Who is Kim?”

Receiving no answer, Jackson grabbed the man's head and lifted it. Jinyoungs eyes narrowed at the glaze covering the man's eyes. He was no longer fully conscious. His body was probably beginning to shut down. 

Jackson aimed a slap to force him awake. Hyuk jolted at the contact and blinked as he looked at Jinyoung.

“Who is Kim?”

The man continued to blink. “I don’t know. I never met him in person. He contacted me through text.”

Hyuk was an idiot, it was why he never made it passed an associate. To trust a man you know nothing about is the same as trusting death. Especially in their field of work. 

“Did you give him any information?”

The man blinked at him before hanging his head low. “No, Jihyo caught me before I got to him.”

Pitiful. This man was going to lose his life for greed. He wanted to steal power he wasn’t ready to maintain and it backfired marvelously. The power he craved was his downfall.

It was fitting. 

Looking over to Jackson, Jinyong sighed. He was going to have to tell Jaebeom. He had hoped he could handle it by himself but as there was a new threat on the board Jaebeom would have to be made aware. It was his duty as his underboss.

“After you get the names of those who told him any information about the routes, peel the rest of that tattoo off of his body.” He stood to his feet as Jackson nodded, readying his blade. “I don’t want him buried with our symbol.”

“Are you going to see Jaebeom?”

“Tomorrow.” Jinyoung rubbed his eyes. He was tired, it had been a long day.

He was half way up the steps. 

“I’ll call him. I think he's hanging out with Youngjae tomorrow. You go home and get some rest. ”

Jinyoung winced. Jabeom wouldn’t like him interfering with his time with the younger man. They were… intimate. Not a couple, but not normal friends. Had they not been in this line of work Jaebeom probably would have already married the man. 

“We have to find out who this ‘Kim’ character is.”

Jinyoung probably wouldn’t get much sleep. His thoughts would be too busy trying to piece together who this new threat was, and how much of a threat they presented. He hoped it was something that could be dealt with quickly but that didn’t seem to be the case.

“I’ll have Youngjae look into it.”

Jinyoung closed the basement door behind him, muffling the screams that followed him out. 

It had been a pretty interesting birthday.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took so long to post this chapter ~  
> Holidays were a little hectic, but it should be calm starting tomorrow.  
> Hopefully it doesn't take me 3 weeks to post the next chapter~


	4. Jaebeom Knows Best

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy 6th year Anniversary~~ 🐰🌴👑🍑🌙🐍🌼

Jinyoung rubbed his hand through his hair, thanking Youngjae as he was passed a fresh cup of coffee. He smiled up at the younger man before taking a sip. He held back a moan as the liquid warmed his body. 

It was early, it was chilly, and Youngjae made the best coffee. 

Glancing over at Jaebeom, Jinyoung watched as the older man shifted on the sofa, making room for Youngjae to sit by his side. He smiled, rubbing his hand through Youngjae's hair before turning his attention to Jinyoung. 

“So, what brings you to my humble home so early in the morning?” Jaebeom questioned, eyes holding curiosity as to why he had to be woken before 8am. Jinyoung was surprised Jaebeom hadn’t lectured him on the importance of sleep before offering him a cup of coffee. It was usually the first thing he did when Jinyoung visited so early. 

“Jackson didn’t tell you?” Jinyoung blinked before taking another sip of coffee. Normally Jackson would have provided details as soon as he was given them. He had loose lips.

“No, all he said was that you needed to speak to me and that it was an urgent matter.” Jaebeom spoke, patiently as he waited for Jinyoung to get to the point. 

“Ju Hyuk Chak. Jihyo found him last night after you left.” He kept his eyes focused on Jaebeom as he gauged his reaction. When he had first told their leader about a possible traitor he had been furious. It was only due to Jinyoung's request that he was allowed to handle it. Jaebeom didn’t take to kindly to traitors from the family, he usually dealt with them himself. “He admitted to attempting to sell information about our routes.”

“Attempting?” Jaebeom questioned, eyes hard as he listened. His brow raised in question as he leaned forward on the couch, his hands lacing together on the armrest. 

“Yes, Jihyo found him before he was able to reach the buyer.”

“Did you get the name of the buyer?”

Jinyoung held back a scoff at the question. Why would Jaebeom ask a question he already knew the answer too? “The buyer gave the name ‘Kim’ and nothing else. No background information, no first name. The only substantial fact is they communicated through text.”

“Is it the same ‘Kim’ Jackson called about?” Youngjae's question broke through the tension in the room and he winced as 2 sets of eyes landed on him, one in curiosity and one upset.

“Jackson called you?” Jaebeom snapped. He didn’t like when he was left in the dark about things involving Youngjae. Jackson should have told him he would tell Youngjae.

“Late last night. He asked me to do a name search for Jinyoung, and a search through Ju Hyuk Cha’s phone. Nothing else.” His voice remained calm as he answered his upset ‘lover.’

Jinyoung released a breath as Jaebeom's shoulders relaxed. Had Jackson told him more he would have gotten an intense call from his boss once this conversation ended. 

“Yes.” Jinyoung started, waiting until he had their attention. “Were you able to find anything?”

Youngjae looked at his lover before sighing, rubbing a hand through his hair. “‘Kim’ is too common to pinpoint anything, and the unknown calls and texts were all sent through different burner phones. Untraceable. I did a search on our allies with the name but nothing was out of the ordinary so I called Jisoo to see if she had any information. She said she had heard rumors about a new face in town but a concrete name was never mentioned. That was all she had.”

Jisoo had a team of informants. They were 4 of the best informers in the state and they freelanced, refusing to join any team but their own. Jinyoung had met Jisoo 6 years ago and they had been friends ever since. 

“If Jisoo has no solid information then we’re chasing a ghost.” And that was what Jinyoung was most afraid of. A man with an identity was easy to take care of, but a man with no identify could strike at any moment. He wouldn’t be surprised if the name was a fake.

“Have you spoken to Yugyeom?”

“Not yet.” Jinyoung rubbed his hand through his hair for the umpteenth time, placing his empty mug on the coffee table. “I planned on calling him once I left but I was hoping Youngjae was able to find something.”

“Sorry.” Youngjae frowned. “I’ll keep digging. Maybe I’ll hit something in a few days.”

“It’s not your fault. We’re clearly facing someone who knows what he’s doing.” Jaebeom addressed his love before looking back at Jinyoung. “I know you don’t like to call on Yugyeom but we need him to gather intel.”

Sighing in exasperation, Jinyoung nodded his head. “I know.”

Yugyeom was an informant. He had a wide circle of ‘friends’ and was able to obtain information for and on anyone. He stood equal to Jisoo in information gathering though he only worked for the family. He had an innocence that people flocked too and easily trusted. 

“And Ju Hyuk Chak, where is he now?” Jaebeom leaned back on the sofa, grabbing hold of Youngjae's hand and playing with his fingers.

“Jackson handled it.” 

Youngjae winced at the implication and Jaebeom smirked. Jackson would never admit it, but in terms of sadistic tendencies he and Jaebeom were peas in a pod. 

“Good.”

Silence settled in the room as they processed the conversation. They would have to wait until Yugyeom did his job before taking any further steps. It was hard to give direction without knowing which way you faced. 

It was another reason he hated the idea of fighting a ghost. Jinyoung hated not knowing which way to go.

“Jinyoung,” Jaebeom asked, nonchalant. “Did you come without men?”

Jinyoung blinked out of his thoughts. He held firm as Jaebeom's gaze pierced into his own. This was a common source of argument between the two. Jinyoung didn’t like having babysitters, especially when visiting a friend. He didn’t feel the need to bring men with him.

“I left them outside.” He lied smoothly. 

“Liar.” Youngjae mumbled. His face flushing red when the rooms occupants turned to look at him and he poked out his lips. “What? It’s obvious.”

Scoffing in offence, Jinyoung held a hand to his chest. “Am I not to be trusted?”

“Not at all.” Jaebeom answered. Snickering at the dramatics. Youngjae joined in on the laughter and Jinyoung smiled. 

“Well then, I should be going.” Standing to his feet, Jinyoung fished his phone out of his pocket and winced at the time. It was 8:30, he had a 9:00 appointment. 

Youngjae stood with him. “I’ll walk you out.”

##

His day had been grueling. He had called Yugyeom as soon as he had reached his car and the kid had been eager to help. Jinyoung would never admit it outloud, but he worried every time Yugyeom was given a mission. He had a soft spot for the youngest member of their group.

He had made it to his appointment on time and Bambam had met him there. Bambam had done his best to relax Jinyoungs worries, after citing Jackson as his source of information. He made constant jokes and guaranteed that their family would be safe as long as they faced things together. 

Jinyoung appreciated his attempts, but nothing would make him feel better until he had a name, a description, and a location. It didn’t help that there was a nagging feeling that something wasn’t right. 

Running his hand through his hair, he closed his eyes as the subtle wind caressed his face. It was almost midnight and the park was void of occupants. It wasn't common knowledge, but after a rough day, his favorite thing to do was to sit at the park. He had no company, his men stayed away, and he had time to collect his thoughts. No one ever visited this park so late into the night. 

He had started this tradition when he first joined the group. When things became too stressful, or when he was tasked with an assignment he struggled to complete he would sit on the empty bench for hours until his thoughts were clear. 

‘Kim.’

His mind chanted the name like a mantra. To many unanswered questions surrounded the name. Who was he really, what was his purpose, and how far would he go to accomplish them were just a few. 

He would have to wait for the answers, but he wasn’t a fan of the waiting game. Neither was Jaebeom. 

Sighing, Jinyoung stretched his limbs. Nothing would come to him in one night. There was no point in worrying about the situation, they were bound to find something out soon. 

“Still here?” 

Jinyoung jolted from his thoughts, pulling out his gun and aiming at the unexpected voice. Taking in the appearance of an unfamiliar face, he kept his aim even as the others eyes widened.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you.” The others voice was even as he spoke. Jinyoung raised a brow. Most innocents who had a gun aimed at them showed some sense of fear. This stranger showed none. “I see you when I pass through the park but you’re normally gone when I come back.”

Was he a stalker? Jinyoung really hoped not. His last stalker had been caught by Jaebeom and thrown into the middle of the atlantic. Jinyoung really didn’t want to same fate for the blond haired beauty.

“You didn’t startle me.” Jinyoung denied, ignoring the blonds skeptic glance to his gun. “What do you want?”

“Same thing you do, a place to think.” The stranger sighed, lifting a plastic bag and shaking it to draw his attention. “I normally sit here after you leave and eat a bar or two of ice cream. It clears my thoughts.”

Jinyong eyed the man, questioning the truth to his statement. He hadn’t flinched at the sight of the gun which was a red flag, but the convenience store shopping bag proved his truth. The stranger may really be an innocent. 

Jinyoung really hoped he wasn’t a cop.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mark, to me, is a very interesting character in this story.


	5. A Welcomed Distraction

“You’re not a cop, are you?” He questioned. By law, if he was he would have to tell Jinyoung. It was illegal for a cop to lie to a civilian, regardless of a gun being held in his face. 

“No?” The strangers brow raised in confusion, his head tilting to the side. “I don’t even think I have the right visa to become a cop.”

Jinyoung raised a brow. He hadn’t expected to find out any information about the other. Had he looked a little harder he would have noticed for himself that this man was a foreigner. His features weren’t Korean and his speech was slightly accented. It was obvious that he had been in Korea for a while, he seemed to be fluent, but the accent was still detectable. 

Lowering his arm, he reholstered his gun, keeping his gaze on the man as he did so. “Then what do you want?”

“I told you,” the man sighed, “a place to think.”

Taking a few steps closer, he moved to the front of Jinyoung's bench and sat without waiting for permission. Jinyoung watched as the man placed his bag on his lap and pulled out a chocolate turtle. 

“Do you want one?” He offered the bag as he licked at the cream. 

He really shouldn’t, this man was a stranger and it could be poisoned, but the iced temptation was too good to turn down. Reaching to grab the bag, he offered a small thanks as he pulled the other chocolate turtle from the bag. He would never admit it, but it was his favorite type of ice cream. 

“I’m Mark.”

Mark, definitely foreign, possibly from America, or Canada, maybe Europe. There were endless possibilities and Jinyoung would probably never know. Mark wasn’t his friend and he wasn’t apart of his world. 

“Jinyoung.” He offered in return. 

Silence settled between the two as they ate their ice cream and Jinyoung felt himself relaxing. There was something soothing about Marks silence, an assurance that things would work out. A strange feeling to get from someone he didn’t know. Jinyoung wondered if being around the other always felt that way. He didn’t know why, but he wanted to know more about Mark. 

“How long have you been in korea?” Jinyoung kept his eyes forward as he asked. He wasn’t one to make small talk with others but he had questions and he wanted answers. 

He would count it as a much needed distraction

Mark eyed him from the corner of his eye before returning his gaze to the abandoned swing set a few feet away. “6 years now. I moved here on my 20th birthday.”

So, he was 26, a year older. He looked young for his age. If Jinyoung had to take a guess, he would have said 22-23. 

“What about you? Have you always been in Seoul?”

“No.” Was Jinyoung's blunt reply. He should have known that asking a personal question would cause Mark to ask one in return. Not that it would stop him from asking his questions. He needed this distraction, and Mark was doing flawlessly. 

“Where are you from?” Jinyong turned to watch the other, making note of the way Marks shoulders tensed slightly at the question. 

“America.” 

Jinyoung mind told him to drop the subject, but he would push just a little further to verify what he had actually seen. Was America the cause of the brief tension or was it a gust of wind. “What brings you to Korea?” 

Marks fingers twitched at the question, his smile becoming strained before taking a bite of his ice cream. It seemed that his life outside of Korea was a touchy subject. Jinyoung made a mental note. He didn’t know if he would ever see Mark again, but he would always remember it if he did. 

“The experience.”

It was obvious that there was more to the story, but Jinyoung would let it go. He already had his answer to his most important question of the moment. If he wanted more answers he would wait until they ran into each other again. Not that Jinyoung planned for that to ever happen. 

“Are you done with your ice cream?” Mark asked, attempting to change the subject. 

Jinyoung would let him. “I am. You’re a slow eater.”

Mark chuckled, pulling out his phone and looking at the time before putting it back in the pouch of his hoodie. Jinyoung found the look to be cute. A boyish smile, a childish chuckle, and an oversized hoodie. He was eye candy.

“I can’t help it. I want to enjoy it while I have it since I only have one.”

Jinyong smiled, looking down at his trash before grabbing the plastic bag and placing his wrapper into it. 

It was sweet of Mark to offer his other treat. Especially to someone he had never met before. Everything about him screamed sweet. Jinyoung wondered why the man had never approached him before. He had said he had seen Jinyoung before, so why had he never made contact?

Thoughts of Kim lingered in the back of Jinyoung's mind but he brushed them away. Nothing about Mark caused any sense of doubt. If anything, Jinyoung was feeling too trusting of him. He felt as though he could tell Mark anything and the other would smile in understanding and tell him that everything was going to be okay.

Jinyoung bit his lip at the thought. The easy trust reminded him of Yugyeom. He would have to be mindful of any information he gave Mark. Yugyeom gained trust to retrieve information, Mark could easily be working for Kim. 

He didn’t really believe in coincidences.

“I’ll make it up to you.” He responded. He could probably do something should they meet again. 

“How?” Mark asked, eyes gleaming with interest in whatever Jinyoung had to offer. 

It was endearing, the look. Jinyoung held a quiet hope that Mark would never lose the ability to look at him like he was. 

It was crazy how attractive Jinyoung found a man he had only just met. He was charmed. 

“By-” the feel of his phone vibrating cut him off. Pulling out his phone from his pocket, he read the text from Youngjae.

_‘Bambam said you haven’t returned yet. Are you still alive? Jaebeom is going to yell at you since you haven’t checked in.’_

Jinyoung chuckled, texting back that he was fine before putting it back into his pocket. He met Marks curious gaze. “Sorry about that, but I have to go.”

He stood to his feet, smiling down at Mark as he nodded in understanding. 

Jinyoung really hoped he had another opportunity to see the smiling man again. He had done a good job of clearing Jinyoungs mind from his current predicament and he had hoped he had done the same for Mark. 

“Before I go, I just have one question.” The question would either fulfill his curiosity, or confirm what he hoped Mark wasn’t. “The gun, when it was aimed at you, you didn’t even flinch. Why?”

Mark frowned. His eyes glazed over, and his focus dimmed before returning. Jinyoung watched closely as waves of painful emotions flooded over the other before they slowly disappeared. His reaction was worse than it was for America. 

“I’ve been through worse.”

It unnerved Jinyoung to hear that from the other. The tone lacked emotion, it was numb. It brought him back to the time in the alley, the time he had given up on life and was left with no purpose. For some strange reason, Mark was reminding him of himself.

“Mark-”

“Thank you for sitting with me. It was nicer than sitting alone.” Mark offered, his smile stale. Marks past was a taboo topic. He would have to make a note of that as well. 

“Yeah,” He responded awkwardly. He had never been good with goodbyes but the awkwardness from Marks stale smile only made things harder. “It was nice. I’ll see you around.”

He could feel the gaze of Mark as he turned to walk away. It had been nice, and his stress was under wrapps after having a small conversation with Mark. 

“Take care of yourself, Jinyoung. Stay safe.”

A voice called from behind him, he turned to wave goodbye, a soft smile greeting him.

Marks smile lingered in the forefront of his mind as he left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, you've met Mark and know little to nothing about him. Lol.


	6. A Fools Game

“Does this deal work for you?” 

Jinyoung blinked as the feminine voice brought him out of his idle thoughts. He could feel the gazes of the rooms occupants waiting for his response but he honestly had no idea what was just proposed. He assumed it was decent as Bambam gave him a swift nod. 

“We’ll have to sit on it.” He couldn’t agree to something he didn’t hear, but he couldn’t let them know he wasn’t paying attention. 

They didn’t need to know his thought had been focused on the brunette man he met the previous night.

“Do you think we have time for this? We need an answer, and we need one now.” A gruff voice demanded. Ryoma was his name. Jinyoung really didn’t understand why Jaebeom agreed to this meeting with the Japanese. 

If their Japanese base was anything like their Korean one there was no way Jinyoung would continue business with them. They didn’t really need to distribute in Japan. JYP made enough in Korea alone. 

He could have sworn a rat just ran past Ryoma's foot.

“Ryoma, calm down.” The female soothed. Sakura was the true leader of their gang. Ryoma often served as her decoy. He stood in her place in case of danger. She straightened her back, crossing her leg over the other and met Jinyoungs gaze head on. She demanded respect, and Jinyoung was impressed. She was strong. “Jinyoung, I’m sure by now you’ve noticed that we’re pressed for time. We need an answer. We’ve already offered you more then we have offered anyone else so I hope you look upon us favorably.”

Her voice was soft, soothing, but firm. It caused all those who listened to trust her without much thought. It only caused Jinyoung to distrust them all the more. Honestly speaking, he was weary about being in the same room as Sakura and her sketchy men. They looked low class and were by no means gentleman. Had it not been for Sakura's classy appearance and designer suit, Jinyoung would have assumed they were a bunch of thugs. 

Yakuza, they reminded him of Japanese Yakuza. 

Jaebeom didn’t work with the Yakuza, yet Jinyoung had an inkling. They were trying to pressure Jinyoung into an agreement, it was why they pressed for an answer now. 

“Why are you so interested in joining hands with us?” He shifted his eyes to Ryoma, watching as the man clenched his jaw before returning to Sakura. She sat calmly, the only tale of discomfort being the slight twitch of her fingers. A nervous twitch he assumed. 

“We’ve been told by a trusted confidant that working with you would greatly benefit our expansion into Korea.”

“And how would aligning ourselves with Yakuza benefit us?” Jinyoung smirked as the color drained from the Yakuzas faces. They hadn’t introduced themselves as thugs, nor did he understand why Jaebeom had set up the meeting when they were plainly people he would never do business with, but they had severely underestimated their families intelligence, and overestimated their ability to play the role of the Mafia. 

Sakura gulped, her eyes fidgeting around the room as she decided how to proceed. Her eyes landed on Bambam before they shifted to one of Jinyoungs soldiers standing behind him on the couch. Jinyoung wondered if she would become violent. 

“Kind of selfish of you to assume I would agree to anything that doesn’t benefit us in the long run.” He leaned back on the couch, holding back a wince as he felt the spring of the old furniture sticking into his back. “Not that it matters, but we don’t work with Yakuza.” 

“But we were told-”

“And you were told wrong. I believe we’re done here.” He moved to stand, motioning for Bambam to hand him his blazer. It had been a waste of his night. He could have been at the park, waiting to see if Mark would drop by. He had been busy all day, Jaebeom was an ass for giving him late meetings.

Glancing at Sakura with the intentions of saying goodbye, he watched as her jaw clenched and her eyes dulled. She wasn’t happy with the turn of events, but she would have to deal. Nothing she said would cause her to change his mind.

“I can provide information if you would-” her eyes shifted, her back straightening. “Deeply reconsider.”

Jinyoung eyed her. She looked nervous, a strange sight to see on a woman of her stature. This information must have been the true reason Jaebeom wanted Jinyoung to meet the woman. 

Glancing at Bambam, he slowly sat back on the couch. “This seems to be a conversation to be held in private.”

He kept his eyes on Sakura as Bambam removed the other occupants. The only remaining bodies being Jinyoung and Sakura. Ryoma had protested being removed but Sakura had quickly halted his argument with a sharp glare. 

Bambam secured the door shut behind them.

“Now, this information.” He started. He hoped the information she had was actual information and not a loose end. They had been hitting walls nonstop and he was getting a little tired of it. He wanted something of substance. 

“A few weeks ago I received a call from a man who spoke Chinese. I’m unsure if it was his first language as he switched to Japanese once realizing I wasn’t as fluent as he was.”

Jinyoung raised a brow as he digested the information. He didn’t understand where this was going but it made him anxious. Was it ‘Kim’ who called Sakura? Or was it a lacky? Either way, the man who provided information had to be intelligent to be fluent in more than one language.

“He had heard that we were trying to expand our exports into Korea and he knew intel that an outsider shouldn't know. I don’t know how he obtained this information as only a few knew of my wishes, but he said that he would help should I lure JB into a trap.”

They had a traitor in their mists, and from the tired gaze of the Yakuza leader, Jinyoung felt sorry for her. To have a traitor and to act ignorant while sniffing them out was a stressful task.

“He offered a chunk of your land if we were to attack one of your route locations, I assumed he was your enemy. My contact in Korea advised against making a powerful enemy so I contacted JB and asked him to set up a meeting for appearances. No one knows the true reason behind this meeting other than us, and your leader. He needed information, and I need to sniff out a rat.”

He was impressed, to say the least. He hadn’t heard much about Sakura, but he had respect for the woman and whomever her contact in Korea was. The contact knew she would stand no chance against JYP.

“And this man who called you, does he have a name?” Jinyoung bit his tongue as he waited for an answer. Hopefully the name used was closer to his real name than ‘Kim.’ Not that he had high hopes for it. 

“Bhuwakul was the only name given.”

Jinyoungs fists clenched before slowly unclenching. He took in deep breaths before releasing them. It would seem Jisoo had been correct. ‘Kim’ was using different names, and it seemed as though he knew the names of JBs closest men. 

“Is that all?” 

Sakura nodded, keeping her eyes locked onto Jinyoungs. 

Bambam wouldn't be happy to hear that his name was used, but there were no doubts in his mind that he was an innocent bystander, and Bambam had no other family to accuse. 

"It would be helpful if you pretend to accept my proposal. I believe the traitor is here but I need to provide false information to narrow who could spread it."

Jinyoung raised a brow in question as Sakura's gaze hardened. So the entirety of this meeting was for Sakura's sake. Jaebeom could have mentioned that.

"Don't misunderstand. I would love to expand into Korea, but I will do it when I please and by my own strength." 

His respect for her only grew.

Nodding in agreement, Jinyoung called for Bambam and waited for the man to reenter the room with Ryoma. 

"Send for the car." He stood, eyeing Sakura as she stood as well. Ryoma eyed them curiously as they shook hands and Jinyoung idly wondered if the man was on the top of Sakura's suspect list. "It was a pleasure meeting you Sakura. I look forward to working with you."

The woman smiled, the first smile given since starting the meeting. 

"Thank you Jinyoung. I'll keep in touch." 

And with that, he left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And this, my loves, is what you would call a filler chapter.


	7. Why didn’t you tell me?!

It had been a full two weeks since his night with Mark, and three full days since he had given up on running into the man. He had stayed at the park longer than normal in attempts to catch a glimpse of the other but Mark never showed.

Shame really, he had enjoyed Marks company.

“Do you think Jisoo found any more information about this ghost?” Youngjae asked, taking a sip of his Iced Americano as his eyes remained glued to the computer screen.

“I asked her as soon as I got out of class. With him using different names it’s harder to follow the trail. Sakura’s warning is proof enough that he’s real but there's no information past that.” Yugyeom answered, groaning as he played with the straw of his frappuccino.

Bambam had promptly flipped out once asked if he knew anyone else in Korea with his last name. He had cried foul, threatening to rip the lungs out of the person using his name to stand against his family before answering ‘no.’

Jinyoung took pity on the frustrated kids. They had been working nonstop since given their tasks. It was hard searching for anything with a name as common as Kim, and searching the last name Bhuwaku had given them a quicker dead end then Kim.

Yugyeom had showed up on Jinyoungs doorstep 3 days ago, complaining about the stress of explaining to his contacts that he was looking for an actual person without an actual name or a physical description. With the added stress of school, Yugyeom was a walking ball of tension.

“So neither of you have anything?” He eyed the two men who lowered their gazes. It wasn’t often that they failed their tasks. “I’m disappointed.”

He took a sip of his own Iced Americano, looking around the small cafe. It was small and cozy, their favorite place to visit to talk business or get a simple cup of coffee. It was one of their associates side businesses so it was a safe location. They could talk as they pleased.

“If I had an actual first and last name I would be able to find information instead of hitting these dead ends.” Youngjae groaned, biting on his bottom lip in frustration. His shoulders slumped in defeat as he glanced up at Jinyoung. His eyes dropped shortly after.

“And my contacts are having no luck. They find it hard to trace a guy no one has seen before. Jisoo couldn’t even track where he came from. He was just there one day.” Yugyeom's shoulders sagged just as low as Youngjae, his lip sticking out in a pout.

Had they been anyone else they would have been punished for not completing their tasks but as they were the best. If they both were having a hard time finding the ghost then it would be impossible until the man revealed himself.

“Have you checked in with Sungjin?”

Sungjin had a small team of hackers that worked closely under Youngjae when needed. When Youngjae needed extra hands, or when he was too busy with another assignment he often passed it down to Sungjin and his team of merry men. Youngjae's team when he needed one.

“I have Sungjin going over all of Hyuk’s call records and bank statements, and his team trailing Hyuks wearabouts last week though the city's security cameras. I don’t think they’ll find anything but I can’t think of what else to do.”

Jinyoung thought, rubbing a hand through his hair as he took another sip of his drink. Youngjae might be able to find information from those who were around Hyuk before he was branded a traitor.

“Find out who Hyuk was closest to and have Jackson and Bambam pull them in one by one for questioning. Keep this quiet. I don’t want to send Jihyo on another chase if it can be avoided.”

Youngjae nodded, closing his laptop and putting it in his bag. “I’ll call Jackson now. I’m supposed to be meeting Jaebeom at 17:00, so I should probably get going.”

Jinyoung rolled his eyes as the other stood, grabbing his cup and taking a sip. “Have fun on your date.”

“Tell Jaebeom I said hi.” Yugyeom added.

Youngjae blushed, wishing them well as he left. His phone attached to his ear as he walked out the door.

There were only 2 reasons Jaebeom could possibly want Youngjae for. They either had a date, or Jaebeom had something the other needed to search. Jinyoung guessed it was the date. It wasn’t often their boss had his own agendas. They were normally handled by his second in command, i/e Jinyoung.

“Is there anything else I can do?”

Jinyoung glanced at the kid, brow raised at the anticipation on Yugyeom's face. His eyes sparkled as he waited for Jinyoungs answer.

It had always interested Jinyoung how invested Yugyeom was to help. It could probably be blamed on the younger man's upbringing, or his need to be included, but all Jinyoung wanted him to do was live freely for a while longer. He was young, only 21, and he had been with them since he was 16.

It was why Yugyeom was able to go to college once graduating High School. Bambam had been given the same opportunity despite his horrendous grades, but he turned it down.

“At the moment, the only thing you can do is keep up with Jisoo and the rumor mill. Someone has either seen this man, or is lying about it.”

Yugyeom nodded, disappointed that he wasn’t able to do anything substantial. Jinyoung couldn’t blame him. This would be the first time that he needed to rely on help from others. When he worked with Jisoo it was primarily to confirm a fact he already knew. Now he was forced to rely on his contacts for information he wasn’t able to obtain on his own.

The man's shoulders slumped. He played with the straw of his cup and stabbed at the ice. He had finished his beverage a while ago.

Jinyoung needed to change the topic of discussion. Seoul University was always a perfect option.

“How are classes going?”

Yugyeom groaned, dropping his head down onto the table in frustration. “My Math professor hates me. No matter what I do she won’t give me anything over 85.”

Math was the kids weakest subject. He excelled in his language classes, and History came easy, but Math was the one subject he couldn't grasp.

“Do you need help?” He could probably get Youngjae to help if he asked. Youngjae was the best at math.

“No,” Yugyeom sighed, lifting his head and smiling shyly as he played with the hairs on the back of his neck. “I have a friend who's good at Math. My grade has gone up a lot since he started helping me.”

Jinyoung raised a brow at the revelation. It was hard to believe that Yugyeom asked someone outside of their circle to help him. “A tutor?”

“A friend. We met at the library 2 years ago. He was having trouble finding a book. Korean isn’t his first language so he was having trouble reading the titles.”

“How come I’ve never heard of this friend?” He kept his tone even, brow raised in question. Yugyeom was an open book when it came to the family. Why had he never heard about this friend of 2 years?

Yugyeom shrugged, smiling as he rested his chin in his hand. “I don’t know. He graduated last year so I guess it just slipped my mind.”

“He graduated last year but he still tutors you?” Jinyoung was skeptical of the motives of Yugyeom's friend. Why would a graduate still be hanging around the university?

The kid rolled his eyes at the accusation behind the tone. “He doesn’t tutor me, he helps me. And he comes to campus to give guest lectures. He graduated early and at the top of his class.”

Interesting, though it didn’t do well to quench Jinyoungs skepticism.

“Yugyeom?” A new voice sounded.

Jinyoung froze. He knew that voice.

“Mark? What are you doing here?” Yugyeom grinned, reaching his hand out in greeting.

Mark grabbed the hand, holding it gently before letting it drop. Jinyoung watched the exchange silently, his words caught in his throat. Mark looked charming. He wore black skinny jeans with a rip at the knees, a grey t-shirt, and a bomber jacket to complete his look. His face was covered with a black baseball cap. His smile was tender as he looked at Yugyeom, as though he was looking at his little brother.

It was a sight to behold.

"My coffee maker broke yesterday and I needed a fix before heading to the hospital. What are you doing here?”

Jinyoungs chest thumped as Mark spoke. Shit. Mark was even cuter than he had been 2 weeks ago.

“My evening classes were cancelled so I’m having coffee with Jinyoung.” Yugyeom answered, nodding his head towards Jinyoung.

Mark’s eyes followed the motion, eyes widening slightly in recognition before a wide smile took its place. Jinyoungs heart skipped a beat.

This was unhealthy.

“Jinyoung, it’s nice to see you again.” His voice was soft as he addressed him.

“Hi, Mark.”

“Wait, you two know each other?” Yugyeom asked, surprise in his voice as he looked between the two in confusion and curiosity.

Jinyoung ignored the other, his eyes staying firmly on Marks. The medical graduate tilted his head slightly, his hair falling into his eyes under his hat. Jinyong found him to be adorable.

“We met at the park the other day.”

The younger man gasped, eyes widening as he grabbed hold of Jinyoungs shoulder, effectively pulling him out of his trance.

“You really met? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t know you knew him.” The betrayal in Yugyeom's eyes was concerning. He looked deeply offended about not being told he knew Mark. “You never told me a name.”

“We just had a whole conversation about him.”

Sometimes Yugyeom's logic was astonishing. How was it possible for the blame to be placed on him? “I-”

“You were talking about me?” Mark questioned, taking a seat across from Yugyeom and next to Jinyoung. He watched the two, curiosity in his gaze as he rested his chin in his hand. He was too amused by the situation.

“I was just telling him about you.”

“I only asked him about class.”

They spoke together. Glancing at one another before looking back at Mark.

“Besides,” Jinyoung cleared his throat. “Yugyeom never gave me a name so I didn’t know he was talking about you.”

“Right.” Mark smirked, his amusement only growing as he took a sip of his beverage. Jinyoung could feel his ears burning. This Mark seemed more mischievous than he had met the other night. “How do you know each other?”

Mark used his cup to motion between Jinyoung and Yugyeom as he asked.

“We’re friends.” Jinyoung answered. That was as detailed an answer Mark would get.

“Friends? I've never seen you around campus.” He motioned to Jinyoung. It would seem he wouldn’t let Jinyoung get away with brisk answers as he had the other night. He wondered if it was because he was worried about the kid. Jinyong had pulled a gun out on him.

“He doesn’t go to Uni. I’ve known him longer than that.” Yugyeom answered. Jinyoung could feel the curious gaze of the younger man shifting between them but he would pay it no mind. He kept his gaze locked on Mark, the same way Mark was locked on him.

Mark nodded, leaning back and out of Jinyoungs space. He shook his cup, listening as the ice bumped the plastic sides, and processed the information. “So you’re forever friends?”

Jinyoung held back a chuckle. Forever was most likely not the word MarK had wanted to use. It might have made sense as a literal English translation, but it was confusing in Korean. It was always interesting to hear a non-native speak Korean. “You mean long-time.”

“Long-time?” Mark looked on in confusion. He glanced at Yugyeom who snapped to attention. Yugyeom must have been helping him with his Korean while Mark helped him with English. An even exchange.

“Ah, it’s like friends for an extended period.”

“Longtime.” Jinyoung supplied the English alternative.

Marks eyes snapped to his and he slowly nodded his head in understanding. Jinyoung ignored Yugyeom's skeptic look. It wouldn’t be long before he was shooting him glances like he sent Jaebeom and Youngjae. Jinyoung was never this attentive to those outside of business relations or family. He didn’t even tend to his flings.

He normally wouldn’t have engaged in a conversation.

“Yeah, that’s what you are.”

“I-” The sound of a ringtone broke the conversation and Jinyoung groaned as he recognized the tone. JB was calling him. He answered the phone. “Yes?”

 _“Where are you?”_ Jaebeom was brisk, his voice harsh and breathing labored. He was frustrated.

Panic welled up in Jinyoungs chest though he kept it well hidden. “Cafe with Yugyeom.”

_“Meet me at the hospital.”_

Jinyoung clenched his teeth, looking at Yugyeom who sobered instantly. He knew the call was serious. “Are you-”

_“Grazed, I’m fine. Bambam might have broken his hand.”_

“And the others?”

_“Meet me there Jinyoung.”_

The call ended.

Jinyoung lowered the phone, placing it inside his jacket pocket. “Well Mark, it was nice seeing you again but business calls.”

“Is everything okay?” He was worried, and Jinyoung appreciated the sentiment, though it would do them no good.

It bothered Jinyoung that he didn’t know where Jaebeom had been for Bambam to break his hand, or what caused him to go to the hospital. He was supposed to be on a date with Youngjae.

Why hadn’t Jaebeom said anything about Youngjae? And had Jackson been with them?

He prayed that everyone was alright.

“Everything’s fine.” He forced a smile as he stood to his feet, Yugyeom following his lead.

“Okay.” Mark whispered, standing to his feet as well. “I’ll see you later Yugyeom.”

The younger man nodded, giving Mark a brief hug. “Later.”

“It was nice seeing you again Jinyoung, stay safe.”

The way Mark said it unnerved Jinyoung, as though he knew Jinyoung was walking into dangerous territory. It had unnerved him the first time Mark had spoken those words but this time felt more intense.

“It was nice seeing you again too, Mark.” And it was. The truth in his words were overbearing. “Thank you.”

They left quickly, Yugyeom following closely behind as they walked to the car.

“Is everything okay?”

Jinyoung looked at the younger man as he got into his car, the driver starting the vehicle as he slid in. Yugyeom sat beside him.

“No.”


	8. Rage- A Domino Effect

Jinyoungs heart pounded loudly in his chest as he made his way down the white hallways of Asan Medical Center. It was the best hospital in Seoul. JB wouldn’t take them anywhere else. Yugyeom followed closely behind.

They had arrived after a 30 minute drive, traffic had been more hectic than normal for the time of day. Heading straight to the front desk, the receptionist at the front had been reluctant to give them any information regarding their friends, stating it was against the hospitals rules and regulations. Jinyoung was ready to pull out his gun and threaten her, but after a charming smile sent by Yugyeom the woman had caved.

Jinyoungs breath caught in his throat and his heart nearly fell out of his chest as the woman confirmed that Bambam had a broken hand, and that Jackson and Yugyeom were currently in surgery. Yugyeom had asked if the doctor had seen Jaebeom but the receptionist simply shook her head. She couldn’t answer that, and she offered no other information. She wasn’t a nurse, and they weren’t blood relatives.

Yugyeom smiled in thanks, following behind Jinyoung as he made his way to the OR waiting room. 

He walked quickly, anxious. Who had been brave enough to attack them? Why hadn’t Jinyoung known where Jaebeoms location? 

“Jinyoung?”

Jinyoung's head snapped to the right at the call of his name. Seulgi stood, confused, as she recognized him. Her scrubs were standard for a nurse and her hair was pulled up into a ponytail. 

“Seulgi.” He greeted, his mind wasn’t on pleasantries.

“What are you doing here?” She sounded worried, glancing behind him to Yugyeom and offering a small nod in greeting. Jinyoung assumed he returned the greeting as she looked between them. 

“Youngjae and Jackson are in surgery, but I don’t know why. I’m going to see Jaebeom now. I don’t know how the surgery is going, the receptionist wouldn’t tell me.” 

Seulgi’s eyes widened, her hand covering her mouth as she gasped. Seulgi was an associate of the family, following under Irene. It was often one of her team members that tended to them when they were wounded. For Jaebeom not to even contact them meant they were rushed into surgery.

“It’s against hospital policy, but I will find out and let you know. Are you going to the OR waiting room?”

Jinyoung nodded, glancing down the hall. He really didn’t have time for this. He needed to see Jaebeom and confirm who did this to them. Anger blossomed in the pit of his stomach. “Keep this quiet.”

He left without waiting for a reply. 

Reaching the waiting room, Jinyoungs dismissed the guards standing in the room. Luckily only Jaebeom and Bambam were the occupants left. The conversation could go one of two ways, and they didn’t need any witnesses. 

His eyes latched onto Jaebeom before trailing to Bambam. He sat, eyes hollow as he watched Jaebeom pace the floor. His hand had been wrapped with bandages and was held in a sling. Other than a hand injury he looked fine. His clothes weren’t torn from bullets, and there were no cuts on visible skin. 

Jaebeom was a little worse for wear. His hair was unkempt, and his eyes bloodshot. His clothes were dirty, torn, and there was a rip on the sleeve of his dress shirt. Jinyoung could see the blood seeping through. It unnerved him to find his sleeve not being the only part to have dried blood. Was it Jaebeoms blood? Or one of the others?

Yugyeom moved first, heading straight to Bambam. He palmed the man's face with his hands, kneeling in front of him, and checked for wounds. “Are you okay?”

Bambam met his gaze, blinking, before looking back at Jaebeom. He was worried about Jaebeom, Jinyoung was too. When upset, Jaebeom walked a fine line between insanity and sanity. 

Jinyoung didn’t know which he was addressing. 

It was why Yugyeom neglected to check on Jaebeom. Not many people could handle him if he snapped. Jinyoung, Jackson, and Youngjae were the only few. 

“Jaebeom.” He kept his voice steady as he stood in front of his leader, cutting off his pace. “What happened?”

“It was an ambush.” Jaebeom hissed. Jinyoung blinked at the rage in the others voice. Jinyoung felt rage too, but he would keep it contained. It wouldn’t help anyone if they both snapped. Jinyoung would have his opportunity to let it out. Jaebeom clenched his fist at his side. “That fucker Kwangsoo set us up!”

Kwangsoo? How did Kwangsoo even have the opportunity to set them up? Jinyoung felt nauseous as he thought about the possibilities. Kwangsoo had probably called for an emergency meeting and Jaebeom, refusing to meet without his men, had dragged Jackson and Bambam with him. It was a coincidence that Youngjae was already with him. 

It was well known in the underworld how MBK operated. They were snakes who bared their fangs at any opportunity, and they were quick to abandon their own. No one trusted them, and Jinyoung didn’t understand why Jaebeom would agree to a last minute meeting. 

“I should have ignored his call, I should have known better.” Jaebeom yelled, hitting the wall with his fist. His knuckles were red, that wasn’t the first time he had hit something. 

“You didn’t know.” 

“I should have,” Jaebeom hissed, standing in Jinyoung's face. Jinyoung held his ground as specks of spit flew out of Jaebeoms mouth. Their leader was beyond himself, overcome with grief and anger. Jinyoung wouldn’t hold this against him. “I knew he was a snake. I knew he couldn’t be trusted, but I went anyway.”

“Why did he call the meeting?” It was becoming increasingly hard to keep his voice level. 

“He said he had information on the ghost. He must have contacted that bastard since Sakura didn’t do anything.” Jaebeom backed up, eyes losing focus as he remembered earlier occurrences. “That fucker. He looked so smug. I knew something was wrong as soon as we pulled up. It was strange that he wanted to meet in an abandoned warehouse.”

Jinyong listened patiently as the other spoke. He glanced briefly to Yugyeom and Bambam who continued to watch them with keen eyes. Jinyoung was about to tread on shallow waters with his next line of questioning.

“Did you get any information from him?”

“Fuck you, Jinyoung.” Jaebeom yelled, kicking at an empty chair and watching as it hit another, both chairs falling over with a loud bang. Jinyoung held back a flinch as Jaebeom turned back towards him. “You think I had time to get anything from that pig as I dodged bullets? Kwangsoo ordered the strike as soon as we stepped foot in the building and that fucker Geonhee took the first shot.”

His blood pulsed quickly as Jaebeom continued to trash the waiting room. He knew the gist of the story, and he knew who he would be going after. MBK had attacked their family, they had put two of their closest confidants in the hospital, and both were fighting for their lives. 

“What happened to Jackson and Youngjae?”

Jaebeom froze, head hanging low and shoulders slumped. Jinyoung took a hesitant step forward before steeling his resolve. He moved until he was once again standing in front of their leader. Wrapping an arm around his neck, he pulled Jaebeom in, allowing his head to rest in the crevice of his neck. 

“Jackson was hit in the shoulder. Kwangsoo shot him first. I don’t know what kind of gun it was but the blood…” He trailed off. Jinyoung pushed down his rage as his neck became damp. Jaebeom was finally letting go of his tears. 

“And Youngjae?”

Jaebeom sniffled before rubbing his head against him. He was in need of comfort. He didn’t want to face the realities of the situation. “A shotgun. Youngjae was hit in the abdomen. He was checking on Jackson when he hit the floor. We had taken out a majority of the men but those fuckers fled before I was able to lodge a bullet between their skulls.”

Jinyoung glanced at Bambam, his eyes glassy as he listened quietly to Jaebeom retale the tale. He could see the unfiltered rage.

"Any others?" Jinyoung wouldn't believe that Jaebeom had only gone with just those three.

"Dead. 7 of my men shot dead."

7 dead, 2 major injuries, 1 minor. A heavy burden for Jaebeom to bare on his own. The family would mourn the loss of the 7, and their bloodlust for revenge would only grow. MBK had made a grave mistake.

“Jinyoung?” A feminine voice broke the tension in the room and Jaebeom lifted his head, turning away from the voice and facing the door to the OR. 

Jinyoung looked at Jaebeoms back before turning to face Seulgi. “Any updates?”

She looked around the room, hesitating to take a step in. Jinyoung didn’t blame her, it was completely trashed. “There was a minor complication with Youngjae's blood levels dropping to dangerous levels but they were able to stabilize him, and they're having trouble finding the bullet in Jackson, but the chances of a successful surgery is high.” 

She waited for Jinyoung to nod before glancing at Jaebeoms back. Out of everyone in the medical staff, she was the closest to him. She sighed as she made her way over. Jinyoung moved to stop her but she shook her head. 

He watched, cautiously as she stood in front of the man. 

“Are you injured anywhere?”

“No.” Was his instant reply.

“The blood on your shirt?”

“Isn’t mine.”

She pursed her lips, looking disappointed at the short answers but she wouldn’t push for a different response. As long as he wasn’t in life threatening danger she was satisfied. 

“Come sit, let me wrap that graze on your arm.”

“I’m fine.”

“I’m not taking no for an answer.”

Jaebeom sighed, allowing the girl to drag him into a seat that wasn’t flipped over. She worked carefully, after Jaebeom ripped the rest of his sleeve off, to disinfect and wrap the wound. Jinyoung was grateful to see someone taking care of his boss.

“Jaebeom.” Jaebeom kept his gaze on the girls work as he was addressed. “I’ll handle it.”

Bambam stood, pulling Jinyoung's attention and Yugyeom's curious gaze. He removed his sling. “I’m going with you.”

“There’s not much you can do with a broken hand.”

“I want to watch as you put a bullet through him. One in the shoulder for Jackson, and one in the abdomen for Youngjae.” His gaze was steady as he spoke. He wouldn’t take no for an answer. 

Yugyeom opened his mouth to protest but his mouth snapped shut before a sound came out. He wouldn’t stop Bambam, just like Jinyoung wouldn’t. They all wanted revenge, and Jinyoung wouldn’t deny anyone that. He had debated sending his men after them but this was personal. 

“Fine.” His moral told him no, but his blood lust told him yes. “But you’re only there to observe. Give me your gun.”

Jinyoung watched silently as Bambam did as told, removing his gun and passing them to him. He held the gun firmly in his hand before unholstering his own gun and passing it to Yugyeom. 

He would use Bambams gun to get things done. 

“Yugyeom, stay with Jaebeom. Call Bambam if anything happens.”

Yugyeom nodded, tucking Jinyoungs gun away. It wasn’t good to have guns in the open while in the hospital. 

“Jinyoung.” Jaebeom called, gaze locked on the door separating them and surgery as Seulgi finished her task. “When you find Kwangsoo, and you get all of the information you can, cut off his head and send it to his wife. Let her feel the pain her husband caused.”

Jinyoung would have done it without being asked. “Yes, boss.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mark shows up again in Ch 12, and from 14 onwards, should these chapters go as planned, things will become way more interesting. :)


	9. Cutting off...

_ 'Are there to be any survivors?' _

Jinyoung made his way through the building. It had been a massacre. An attack on JB is an attack on the family.

They understood what was asked of them.

His men had walked in through the front door, ambushing the unsuspecting members of MBK. They hadn’t expected for JYP to retaliate so quickly. 

_ 'Are you sure you’re going to be okay?' _

Bambam had expressed his worries on the drive over. He didn’t like Jinyoung going in without proper protection. Jinyoung had dismissed the concern. If his men couldn’t protect him then they had no right to be in the family. Bambams mouth snapped shut. 

_ 'Boss, we have Kwangsoo tied up in his office. He had his passport in hand and was booking a flight to America.' _

His men had moved quicker than anticipated, killing everything in their way to the king of the castle. He had given them the mission an hour and a half ago. Jinyoung ignored the dead bodies lying still at his feet as he moved. He ignored the groans of those who would die shortly. 

“Is there anyone left?” Jinyoung asked the soldier following behind him. It was a face he wasn’t familiar with, but he was one of Bambams men. Most of them were. Each specialized in weapons and defence. Bambam had instructed this one to protect Jinyoung as he would, Jinyoung failed to catch a name.

“If they are in this building, then they are no longer alive, or will die shortly.”

“And his family?” He had been given a task that he was going to complete. 

“They were gone before we arrived. Sunye has eyes on them”

Sunye and her team were apart of their sniper team. It wasn’t often that they was called on, but they were efficient. They could be considered as part of Bambams team, though they were free spirits. They were free to do whatever they wanted as long as they came when called. 

Jinyoung hadn’t seen them in months. 

Jinyoung nodded. His most important task at hand was to cut off the head of the snake. Geonhee would be found shortly as Sungjin was tracing him. They wouldn’t stop until his blood was on Jinyoungs hands. Taking out the heads would show lesser families that JYP was still a force no one should stand against. This would only strengthen their reputation in the underworld. 

“The police-”

“Have already been bribed. They won’t come unless asked.”

Jinyoung looked at the man. Bambam had taught him well. He could feel the others smugness. “What's your name?”

“Christopher, but the men call me Bang Chan.”

Bang, an interesting name. Jinyoung would remember this one. Turning back, he continued on his walk to the office. He saw as his men checked the bodies, making sure they missed no survivors and appreciated the thorough work. 

Reaching the office, Jinyoung blinked as he moved to stand in front of the boss. Kim Kwangsoo. Jinyoung was just as disgusted at Geonhee as he was with Kwangsoo. Both were pigs with snake-like tendencies. 

“Jinyoung, what are you doing here? Did you cause this?” He hissed, struggling against the binds constricting his hands behind his back. The captive sent a glance towards Bambam and faltered before continuing his struggle.

“You attacked our family.” Jinyoung pulled out a cigarette, lighting the stick and placing it between his lips as he watched the coward in front of him.

“We did no such thing. Geonhee acted on his own. If you have a problem then find him.” The Boss denied, putting full blame on his underboss. 

Bambam scoffed from behind and Jinyoung resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Bambam was a prime witness to the crimes committed against his family. 

Jinyoung smiled down at the man. Kwangsoo hesitated. He wasn’t expecting a smile from Jinyoung. “So the bodies of your men lying dead on the warehouse floor having nothing to do with you?”

Kwangsoo flinched at the question, his face draining of color. How could 1 man act alone when a squadron of men were with him?

“I had nothing to do with it.”

Slowly, carefully, he pulled out a knife from his pocket and played with the blade. He kneeled in front of the other. Kwangsoo's gaze screamed defiance, as though he would fight until his last breath. 

Jinyoung knew it wouldn't take much to break him. 

Without hesitation, Jinyoung brought the knife down, sticking it firmly into the others legs as the other yelled out in pain. Blood gushed from the wound but Jinyoung paid it no mind. He was much more interested in the colorful sting if curses flowing from Kwangsoo's mouth.

“Don’t lie to me.” He tisked. Scolding the man with a wag of his finger. He pulled the knife out and let it fall to the ground. "You set up a meeting offering information. I suggest you start talking before I let my men have their way with you. After all, their brothers are dead because of you.”

He looked around the room, taking note off all of JYPs men, and leveled Jinyoung with a look. Jinyoung could see nothing but rage as the captured leader glared at his men. He showed no fear.

Glancing up at Bang, he stood, taking half step back and shrugging his shoulders. Bang made the first hit, Kwangsoo's jaw cracking with a sickening sound. Another joined shortly after. Kicks and punches greeted the prideful man and Jinyoung knew it wouldn't be long before the other broke. 

“Stop! Please!” He cried, blood falling from his lips as he continued to cry out. “I’ll tell you everything you need to know, just stop!”

Jinyongs nose scrunched up in disgust at the pleads. He was almost disappointed at how easy it was. He would have much rather tortured the man a little longer. Kwangsoo had no backbone. Jaebeom would have died before spilling their secrets. 

He held up his hand, stopping another hit, and he waited patiently for Bang to grad the other by his hair, pulling him upright and steadying him before letting go and stepping back.

Hanging the stick from his lips, Jinyoung returned to his kneeled position in front of the bloody man. He pulled out a clean napkin from his pocket, looking at the stab wound in the others leg. He placed the napkin over the gash before pushing it into the open wound, digging deep and marveling in the others agonizing screams. 

“What are you yelling for?” He spoke over the screams. “I need to stop the bleeding.”

The man cried, tears streaming down his face as Jinyoung removed his hand, leaving the napkin in place. It was soaked red within seconds.

“Now, since we’re short on time and I have things to do, tell me why you did it?”

The man sobbed, his words slurred as he tried to string syllables together. 

Jinyoung really didn’t have time for this. Standing to his feet, he pulled off his jacket and handed it to Bambam who stood close behind him. He held Jinyoungs cigarette and the two met eyes before Bambam took a step back. 

“I believe I told you I was short on time.” Jinyong scolded, rolling up his sleeve. He felt relief as his fist connected with the already bloody nose. He marveled in the cries of pain as the other begged him to stop, but he wouldn’t. This wasn’t just for him, this was for his family that had suffered at the hands of Kwangsoo. 

“Now,” Jinyoung spoke as he pulled back. His breath coming out as labored as he stretched his bruised knuckles. This was the reason Jackson handled this kind of work. “Tell me what I want to know.”

“It wasn’t my idea.” The man yelled, his voice scratchy from the overuse. “It was Choi, his name is Choi.”

Choi? So, he was using Youngjae's last name now. Jinyoung wasn’t surprised. After using Yugyeom's and Bambam's surname it only made sense. 

“What did he look like?”

“An older man,” Kwangsoo sobbed. “Tan skin, glasses, long hair.”

Jinyoung sent a glance to Bambam who nodded in return. They finally had a description. It wasn’t much, but it was more than they had. Youngjae and Yugyeom search points.

“What did he promise you?”

The man sobbed harder, begging for his life. Jinyoung wished he would just give up the information so he could head to the underboss. He had a kingdom to crush and Kwangsoo was delaying him. 

“I’ll give you 3 seconds before I beat you to death.”

“1 billion won! He promised 1 billion won!”

Truly a pig. Jinyoung sneered. Jackson and Youngjae were in the hospital for 1 billion won.

Pulling out his gun, he played with the muzzle as Kwangsoo braced himself. His cries lessening as he watched the gun. He was afraid. Jinyoung appreciated the fear, he knew Bambam would too.

“I have a friend in the hospital right now. Jackson, you’ve probably heard his name.” Jinyoung spoke nonchalantly as though he wasn’t aiming the gun at the others shoulder. “You shot him here.”

A loud bang rang through the air and the man cried in pain. Blood splattered on the hem of Jinyoungs pants and he sneered in disgust. There were a lot of disgusting things happening in his talk with Kwangsoo.

Constant cries of ‘I'm sorry’ flowed through the man's lips as he clenched his eyes shut in pain.

“I don’t accept your apology because there is another currently fighting for his life. We don’t know if he’s going to make it, but you’ve probably heard of him too. His name is Youngjae.”

He spoke, aiming the gun at his abdomen and pulling the trigger. He watched as the hole opened and blood rushed out. “Say a prayer.” 

He looked back at Bambam who nodded in appreciation. He knew Bambam was itching to offer the finishing blow but he wasn’t medically capable. If he pulled the trigger his hand would shatter.

“Sadly those two aren’t the only ones I'm here for.” He holstered his gun, picking his knife off of the floor. “7 members of my family were gunned down as well. Can you even imagine the grief their families will feel since their loved ones are no longer living?"

Kwangsoo’s eyes widened. His cries stopped, realizing there was no way to be saved. Jinyoung smirked, placing his knife against the others throat. “I hope this hurts.”

Jinyoung sliced, blood spraying on his white shirt and face, but he continued. Jaebeom had been clear with his instructions. He hacked, watching the life drain from the others gaze, until the head was no longer attached to the neck. 

Standing as the head rolled, Jinyoung whipped at the blood on his face, unintentionally smearing it instead of wiping it off. The human body contained more blood then he appreciated. Being covered in it was not his ideal look. 

Jinyoung caught his breath as he dropped the knife. It was hard work removing a head from its body and it had taken more time than he had anticipated. Had he known how hard it was to cut through bone he would have brought a chainsaw.

“Tell them to clean this mess up and package the head. Send it to the wife.” Jinyoung spoke keeping his eyes on the decapitated head as Bang moved to call one of his men to retrieve the head and a cleaner to remove the body. 

“One more to go.” Bambam spoke, ignoring the commotion around them and putting his full attention on Jinyoung. He trusted his team to get things done.

Jinyoungs phone vibrated in his pocket and he pulled it out to answer. “What?”

_ “We found Geonhee. Jihyo has him in her custody.” _

Jinyoung blinked. The timing could not have been more perfect. Watching as the cleaners started to remove the body, he held out a hand for them to stop. He wanted Geonhee to see the consequences of his actions. He wanted the man to see what he caused when he made that first shot. 

“Bring him to me.”

He hung up.


	10. ...the Head of the Snake.

When MBK had first started out they had reached out to JYP for help. They were new, they were fresh, and they had no standing in the world they were trying to enter. Being the man he was, the late Park Jinyoung had accepted to help Kwangsoo on one condition, MBK was to work under JYP as one of their conglomerate families. They were to stand on their own feet until they were needed or called upon. 

The deal had lasted 5 years before Kwangsoo had taken his men and left the ‘family.’ JYP hadn’t taken kindly to the betrayal, but he would let them go. He had seen Kwangsoo for the snake he was and he would rather the man leave then to infect his family with his venom. 

Jinyoung wished his previous boss had dealt with the MBK while he was still alive. 

“You seem nervous Geonhee.” He spoke, leaning against Kwangsoo's desk. He played with his fingers as he looked at the man sitting on his knees in front of him. The man had fallen as soon as he stepped foot into the office. The shock of seeing all the dead bodies lingering the halls and the sight of his bloody form had shocked him, but after noticing the decapitated body at Jinyoungs feet his face had paled. 

Jinyoung could tell the man would fail dramatically had he been given the opportunity to run MBK. He had no backbone with Kwangsoo dead. He wondered idly how the man had made it as an underboss. 

“I-I’m not.” He stuttered, his eyes watching as a cleaner came to remove the body of his dead boss. Jinyoung could see the man's breath pick up as they passed him on the way out, and the flinch as the door slammed shut behind them. “I have nothing to be nervous about.”

Jinyoung resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He knew where this was going. He was gearing up to blame the dead man who had no way of defending himself. MBK leaders had no sense of pride and it was sickening. 

“Nothing to be nervous about? It seems to me that you should be the most nervous man in this room.” He kept his voice even as he eyed the scared man. 

“I didn’t do anything. Kwang- Kwangsoo-”

“Is laying dead with his head cut off after blaming everything on you so I suggest you choose your next words wisely.” 

The man gulped. Jinyoung wondered just how much the man could sweat before he died of dehydration. It was almost disgusting how cowardly he truly was. Had he been in JYP he would have been killed long ago. 

“C-Choi was the one who-”

“Kwangsoo already told us about Choi and the agreement he made with MBK.”

It was clear that the man was panicking. His breathing had picked up and his eyes shifted as though they were unable to focus on one steady thing. He was wrecking his brain for information but Jinyoung wouldn’t hold his breath. There was nothing Geonhee could tell him that he didn’t already know. 

“Choi had relations with JYP!”

Other than that. 

Jinyoungs head tilted and it felt as though the room stood still. What kind of relations was he referring too? Were they business partners, friends, family? He could see Bambams hands twitch. He must have shared the same line of thoughts. 

“What kind of relations?”

“Friends! They were friends! Before you joined JYP!”

Did that mean Jaebeom knew who Choi truly was? Was that the reason the man used different names? Though it opened up a new line of questioning. If the man had been friends with JYP, why was he threatening the family? 

“How can you be so sure?” Bambam spoke, the question obviously slipping as he eyed Jinyoung before glancing back at the underboss. 

Jinyoung wasn’t upset at the interruption, he couldn’t be. He was going to ask the same thing and Bambam was just as anxious as he was. If he was being completely honest, he hated ‘interrogations’ and wished that he could pass the lead to Bambam. 

It didn’t help that the blood on his shirt was starting to stick to his skin and the blood on his neck was beginning to itch. He really needed a bath. 

“I saw them together before you joined, and before MBK formed. I don't know what happened but he was there one day then he disappeared."

If he was always with JYP, then how was no one able to identify him? It wasn't a believable story and Jinyoung wondered how embedded in truth his claims were.

"How do we verify that?" 

"You can't. They were only photographed together at a small restaurant in Busan. It was famous for housing Mafia heads and no outsider cameras were allowed but it was burned down years ago. The proof would be in their personal belongings."

Interesting, and slightly more believable. JYP used to tell stories of visiting a restaurant in Busan to catch up with old friend's.

"And you don't know his real name?" Moving to rub his hand through his hair, a clearing of a throat stopped him. His hands had dried blood on them. He would have to thank whomever stopped him. 

"N-no." The underboss quivered, his eyes shifting between Jinyoungs before lowering his gaze.

"Then we really have no more use for you." 

"Wait!" He panicked. Holding his hands out as he began pleading for his life. "I can get you a name, just give me 5 minutes!"

Jinyoung blinked. 5 minutes was 5 minutes too long. He had learned a long time ago how not to trust a snake. "I don't believe you." 

A gunshot rang through the room and a stunned silence settled in its place. Jinyoung watched as Geonhee was thrown to his side, his eyes wide as he laid dead on the floor. Bang flinched as blood sprinkled onto his pants and Jinyoungs eyes cut to Bambam. 

The younger man stood, smoking gun aimed with his left hand. 

"Everyone, get out." The room emptied in 2 seconds. His eyes narrowed as he regarded the only other occupant. "I thought I told you to give me your gun."

Bambam shrugged, holstering his gun and turning to Jinyoung. "You never took the second one."

It was disobedience that Bambam should be punished for. Jinyoung had a reputation to maintain and Bambam had not only killed Geonhee prematurely, he had also gone against a direct order. 

"He could have provided a name." 

"It would have been fake and we would have gone in circles. If a name was known he would have given it at first chance." Bambans eyes remained lowered as he spoke but his back stood straight. He had broken an order but he had no regrets. “It was the same information Kwangsoo used to lure JB.”

"I should cut your hand off for disobeying me." 

"He shot my family in front of me. It's a limb I would gladly give."

Jinyoung sighed, standing straight and moving away from the desk. He walked slowly, taking note of Bambams stiffening form, and stopped directly in front. 

He reached out, ignoring the others flinch as he placed a finger under the younger man's chin and lifted his gaze to meet his own. “Don’t disobey me again.”

Bambams gaze held firm but his eyes glistened. Jinyoung couldn’t punish him for taking the shot. He was there when Jackson and Youngjae went down, and he watched as Kwangsoo and Geonhee made their escape unscathed. 

He would never actively hold one of his members back from their revenge, but he worried about Bambams hand. Luckily he was ambidextrous.

“Yes sir.”

Jinyoung held the others eyes for a second longer before ruffling through the others hair with his nonbloody hand. It was all the comfort he could offer at the moment. Bambam might not be fighting for his life in the hospital, but he was still affected. Same as Jaebeom. 

Pulling out his phone, he dialed a familiar number, letting out a breath as the call was answered. 

“It’s done.”

A deep breath of relief sounded on the other end. “Hurry back.”

The phone went dead.

They had avenged their family, he had done as Jaebeom had ordered, and he had relieved his anger in the process. All he wanted now was to get out of his bloodied clothes, take a hot bath, and return to the hospital. 

He only prayed that they would receive good news soon.


	11. Is it Good News?

Jinyoung allowed relief to wash over him once he stepped foot into the hospital. He was worried about Jackson and Youngjae, but he felt better knowing the threat that put them there would no longer be a problem. MBK was in ruins and he doubted any of the members had the gaul to stand against them without their leaders. 

Taecyeon had called him on his way to his house and had offered his services. His team would step in for the injured members, and he would be the one to interrogate Hyuks companions. Jinyoung had been surprised to hear from the man. After rejecting the position of underboss for JYP, he had stepped away from the family after JYPs untimely death. He never wanted to be the family head and they had respected his decision. He and his team each lived peaceful lives outside of family territory. 

Yugyeom had been the one to call the older man, much to Jinyoungs surprise. He had explained to Taecyeon their bosses current condition and had asked if he and his team would step in to fill the vacancies. 

They would handle all tasks assigned, and continue where Jackson, and Youngae, and Bambam left off. They also volunteered to visit the widows home in search of any evidence linked to Chois true identity.

Their tasks were to be done timely and quietly.

Jinyoung felt a sense of pride to hear their youngest had stepped up in such a way.

Reaching the waiting room to the OR, he was pleased to find the room had been cleaned. Chairs were no longer knocked over and Jaebeom no longer paced. He sat, head in his hands, as Yugyeom rubbed soothing circles on his back. Yugyeom jolted out of his daze as he took in Jinyoungs form, his eyes sliding over his frame to assess any injuries. The gaze lasted only a moment before looking behind him to his best friend.

Bambam slowly moved to sit in the seat next to Yugyeom, his arm cradled against his chest as he struggled to put his sling back on. Joy had seen them entering the hospital and ran to give Bambam a sling. She probably would have scolded him had it not been for the sensitivity of the situation. 

Yugyeom frowned as he moved to help him

“How is the surgery going?” Jinyoungs voice was barely a whisper as he spoke. He sat across, in the chair facing them. 

“They had a mishap with Jackson but Seulgi says that he’s doing fine. Youngjae is the one they are most worried about.” Yugyeom's eyes shifted to him as he tightened the strap on Bambams sling.

Jinyoungs gaze lingered on his leader as he sat still. His head hadn’t lifted since they had entered the room. Youngjae was a shining star in Jaebeoms eyes, he had been since they first met. He had confessed to Jinyoung many times after meeting that if they lived different lives then he would have taken Youngjae away and married him. His eyes sparkled every time he spoke about the other and his smile was fond everytime he thought of him. 

Jinyoungs heart broke as he watched his friend suffer in silence.

“Im Jaebeom.” He called. He watched as the others fingers twitched at the sound of his name. “They are going to pull through. They’re strong and too stubborn to give up.” 

The encouragement was spoken to their leader, but the words were for them all. They all felt the worry of the unknown and neither really knew how to handle it. The only thing they could do is wait for news.

Bambam sighed, leaning back in his chair, his eyes focused on the lights above them. “I still haven’t beat Jackson in the Push Palm Game. I’m pretty sure he cheats.”

Yugyeom scoffed, rolling his eyes as he put his hand back on Jaebeoms back. “Jackson doesn’t cheat. You just suck at it.”

“I’m better than you.”

“You still haven’t beaten me.”

Jinyoung chuckled at the banter. What they needed most was normalcy. The youngest members banter had already lifted the mood. After many hours of waiting they needed a moment of peace.

“You’re both bad at it.” Jaebeom interjected, lifting his face from his palms. He looked to Yugyeom before eyeing Bambam. “Neither of you can beat Jackson.”

There was a strain in his voice, but he sounded normal. Jinyoung was grateful that he included himself into the conversation. It wouldn’t do much, but it would get his mind off of the surgery light lit up on the OR door. 

“As if you can talk. Didn’t he beat you the other day.” Jinyoung raised a brow, his lip twitching as he relayed the information. They had all met and ended up playing the game. Jackson had won it all, and by sheer luck of the draw Jinyoung had come in second.

“He cheated.” Jaebeom defended himself, his tone dry.

Yugyeom disagreed while Bambam agreed. 

It was how the conversation went for another 2 hours. The four bantered back and forth about things involving Jackson and Youngjae. The tension in Jaebeoms shoulders was minimal, and Yugyeom no longer had to rub soothing circles on his back. Bambam had moved to sit next to Jinyoung, brushing his leg against the other every so often as he moved animatedly in his seat.

The door to the OR opened and the conversation ceased. All eyes snapped to the doctor as he moved to stand in front of them. He wiped his hand with a rag as they held their breaths for the news. 

“Doctor.” Jaebeom greeted. 

“Are you here for Jackson Wang?” The doctor blinked as his gaze flickered between the four. They nodded as he continued. “The surgery has ended in success. We had a few complications pulling the bullet out but we were able to remove all of the pieces. They are patching him up now, and he should be in his own room within the hour. He’s expected to make a complete recovery.”

“Thank God.” Jaebeom groaned, rubbing a hand through his hair. 

Relief flooded the room as they all released deep breaths. Jackson was going to pull through and he was going to be fine. That was one less person to worry about. 

Jinyoung thanked the doctor as he walked away, walking out of the waiting room and out of sight. He couldn’t wait to see the other with his own eyes. 

“I’ll go sit with him when he gets to his room. I don’t want him opening his eyes to an empty room.” Bambam spoke, biting his lip as he looked at Jaebeom. 

“I’ll go too. Jinyoung and Jaebeom can sit and wait for Youngjae.”

Splitting them up was the best option. Jinyoung wanted to sit with Jackson, but he was needed with Jaebeom. 

He nodded in agreement as Bambam stood, claiming he needed to use the restroom. Yugyeom stood with him, claiming the need for a snack. The left, offering to bring back some drinks upon their return.

The waiting game began again. 

##

“Do you think she would like Paris?” Jaebeom spoke, eyes dazed as he looked at the ceiling.

Jinyoung blinked as he thought about the question, his position mirroring Jaebeoms as he sat next to him. They had spoken mindlessly about random things 2 hours after Jackson was set up in his room. They were tired, their minds wandering in strange directions. It was well past midnight and they were running on fumes.

“Nora? She doesn’t like anything but your house.” 

Jaebeom chuckled, that was true. Nora had an issue with new places, she hated when she had to leave the house. Most of Jaebeoms scratches were from his attempts to put her in her carrier. 

Nora wasn’t a fan of change.

“Yeah, she doesn’t like the finer things.”

Jinyoung scoffed. “She likes the finer things that can fit through the front door.”

Grinning wide, Jaebeom turned his gaze onto Jinyoung. “Do you think-”

The sound of a door opening froze them mid sentence. They both jumped from their seats, standing as a new doctor moved towards them, an older gentlemen with white hair. They reached him half way.

“How is he?”

“How is the surgery?”

They spoke together. After waiting for hours on Youngjae's surgery they were antsy. They were ready to hear good news. 

The doctor chuckled, his grin wide as he spoke. “He’s doing fine. The surgery was long but it ended well. We’ll keep an eye on him in ICU for 24 hours since he isn’t completely in the green, but if he stays strong he should make a recovery.” 

Jaebeom looked to Jinyoung, his eyes watering as he smiled. Jinyoung felt his heart thump at the look. Pure joy wasn’t something that he often saw on his friends face. He hoped this look could last forever. 

“Let’s go tell the others.”

They would be thrilled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey~  
> So I've written quite a few chapters ahead so I'll try to do weekly updates for a bit, maybe until sometime in April. Also, the story is about to pick up. Marks purpose in the story is going to be revealed soon and the 'ghost' is going to be identified too. Lastly, Markjin moments are heavily sprinkled throughout the next few chapters so I hope you guys enjoy it!


	12. Call me, Maybe?

Jinyoung took a sip of his coffee as he made his way through the hospital. Jackson and Youngjae had woken up 2 days prior. Bambam had thrown himself onto Jackson in relieved joy and Jaebeom had latched his lips onto Youngjae's as though his life depended on it. Jinyoung and Yugyeom were glad to see them awake, but their reactions were nowhere near dramatic. 

“Are you here for Jackson and Youngjae?” A meek voice asked. 

Turning to look at the nurse, Jinyoung smiled. The woman was small, her hair picked up in a bun and a small blush accented his face. The girl had run into him a few days ago and had been making conversation with him ever since. It was obvious that the girl had a crush, even going as far as to walk with him to Jackson and Youngjae's room, and sometimes barging into the room during his visit, claiming she needed to fluff their pillows though she was clearly not their nurse. She had introduced herself to his friends with a smile and a wave. 

She was pretty, but maybe a little crazy. 

“I am.” He didn’t even know why the girl was attracted to him. It wasn’t as though he offered anything other than basic manners. He was always short with his answers and he was never the one asking questions. 

“I’ll walk you.” The girl chuckled, her shoulders bouncing as she did. She lifted her hand to her hair, curling a strand around her finger. Her smile was shy. 

Jinyoung bit the inside of his lip and held back an eye roll. When would this girl take a hint? He had no interest in her, and Jackson had told her as such last time she had barged into the room when he was visiting. 

“It’s fine, I-” 

“Really, I don't mind. I’m on break.” The girl connected her hands behind her back, pushing her chest out as she did so.

Jinyoungs eyes lowered before they rose. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he took a sip of his coffee. No matter what he said she would walk with him. She didn’t know how to take ‘no’ for an answer. 

Besides, she would run off once seeing Jaebeom, Taecyeon, Bambam, and Yugyeom waiting for him. She was fully aware that they did not like her.

“Okay.” He relented. He had already spent too much time in the hallway talking to the obsessed nurse. Jackson would yell at him for being late. He was already going to be 2 minutes late, not too late but late enough for Jackson to take issue. 

Making his way down the hall, he ignored the girl's hand as it wrapped around his arm. She was speaking, but Jinyoung paid her no mind. If this was how it felt to date girls then he was glad he wasn’t interested.

He wondered idly if he should just tell her he was gay. 

A day after the girl had seen Jaebeom she had pursued him with the same aggression she pursued Jinyoung. The leader hadn’t been impressed with her flirting and had told her point blank that he was gay and he wouldn’t be interested in her even if he wasn’t.

The girl had turned green before flushing a deep red. He had embarrassed her in the middle of the hallway, directly in front of the nurses station. Jinyoung had almost felt bad to hear the snickers from the other nurses.

It was short lived as she quickly set her full attention onto him. Jinyoung wondered if that was the only way to stop the girl from fawning over him.

A loud crash sounded from behind and he turned to look as a familiar voice cried out in surprise. The doctor in his lab coat stood, a clipboard and papers scattered along the floor as he checked on the nurse he had run into. The woman's face flushed in embarrassment as she apologized for her clumsy tendencies and together they bent down to retrieve the fallen papers. 

Mark was the last person he had expected to see today. He knew the other was in the medical field, but he hadn’t expected him to be part of Asan's medical staff. Though he shouldn’t be surprised. Yugyeom had said Mark graduated at the top of his class. It only made sense that he worked for the best hospital. 

“Mark?” He called out. He ignored the curious gaze of the nurse on his arm as he turned completely. 

Startled to hear his name called out, Mark jolted, his head snapping up quickly and his gaze latching directly onto Jinyoung. He grinned as he took in his appearance. Jinyoung would have blushed at the way Mark's gaze appreciated his appearance had he been a lesser man. 

“Jinyoung, what are you doing here?” He asked, standing to his feet with his clipboard and a few documents while smiling at the nurse who handed him what she had just picked up. With another apology, the nurse scurried off. 

“Visiting a few friends. I didn’t know you worked here.”

“Mark’s been working here for a few months now. He transferred from Seoul Medical Center.” A chipper voice interrupted. 

Jinyoung eyed the girl before returning his gaze to Mark. The man didn’t look pleased, his eyes lingering on the girl's hand attached to Jinyoungs arms before he smiled at the annoying girl. It was stale. 

Interesting. 

“In-ha, I didn’t see you there. Shouldn’t you be helping Wendy register patients, or are you slacking again?” His smile was condescending but his tone was light. 

Jinyoung was interested to see a new side to the doctor. He turned to face the nurse. Her cheeks flushed red and her smile became tense. She hid her nervousness behind a chuckle and her grip on Jinyoungs arm tightened before it dropped. 

“I’m on break.”

“Are you?” Mark questioned, looking down at his watch before his smile dropped. He raised a brow in question as he eyed the girl. “I could have sworn breaks were only 30 minutes, and I saw you on break almost an hour ago.”

The color on the girls face drained as she was caught in her lie and Jinyoung could have sworn he heard light chuckling from a few nurses who had stopped to watch the exchange. It seemed obvious that In-ha had very little friends in the nurses station. 

“I should get going.” The girl briskly turned on her heels and left. She kept her head down as she turned the corner and the spectators slowly dispersed. 

“Sorry about that. In-ha is a good nurse, she just has trouble staying on task.” Mark explained, his smile turning genuine as he looked at Jinyoung. 

Jinyoung took a sip of his coffee, seeing Mark in a new light. “It’s okay. I’d rather be in your company anyway.”

Shit. That wasn’t supposed to come out as flirty, but watching Mark's face light red made him glad it did. 

“That’s good to know.” Mark's voice was soft. A boyish smile on his lips and his cheeks a rosy red. Jinyoung could appreciate the look and he understood why nurses and fellow doctors often stared at the attractive man as they passed them in the hall. “I’d like to accompany you on your walk. We haven’t really talked much.”

Jinyoung raised a brow, shaking his cup and listening as the ice stirred his coffee. “You sure you can? I don’t want to pull you away from your duties.”

Mark shook his head, a mischievous smile on his lips. “I’m actually heading to pediatrics, which happens to be the same way you were heading.”

It was hard to say no to the man, not that he wanted to. He had been honest when he said he would rather have Mark's company. It would seem that Mark felt the same way.

It was a dangerous feeling. 

Nodding his head in agreement, the two walked in a comfortable silence. Jinyoung really didn’t understand why he always felt so comfortable around a man he barely knew. The silence was never awkward, and he always felt at peace in the presence of the older man. 

“Seoul Medical Center?” Jinyoung questined, breaking the silence. He turned and watched as Mark ran a hand through his hair in embarrassment. 

“Yeah, It’s where I completed my residency. Everyone told me it was one of the best hospitals in the region but it wasn’t welcoming. They only cared about getting the job done, so once my residency was up I left.” 

“But if you graduated last year, how were you able to finish your residency?” Yugyeom had told him Mark graduated last year. If he had then it should have taken him 4 years to complete his residency and he would still probably be working at Seoul.

Mark raised a brow. He was probably trying to remember if he had specifically told Jinyoung when he had graduated. He looked skeptical before a glint of recognition passed his gaze. Something amusing passed through his memory.

“I didn’t graduate medical school last year, I graduated 3 years ago. When I met Yugyeom I was completing my residency and studying for the boards.”

So, Yugyeom hadn’t been accurate with his information but it was still impressive. Mark was younger than most doctors that he knew and if he graduated 3 years ago than he was only 23 when he finished medical school. It was no small task to be a licensed professional at the age of 26.

Mark's quiet chuckle broke Jinyoungs line of thought. “Try not to think about it so hard.”

He couldn’t help it. Mark interested Jinyoung more than he ever expected him too. He wanted to know everything there was to know about the older man.

“So, who are you visiting?” Mark asked, changing the topic from himself to Jinyoung. He glanced at Jinyoung through the corner of his eye and latched his hands, with clipboard, behind his back as he walked. 

“My friends.” Jinyoung didn’t see the harm in offering the information. It’s not as though Mark would know the specifics of their admissions. 

“Hmm.” Mark pulled his clipboard from behind, hugging it to his chest as he continued walking by his side. “Are they the reason you and Yugyeom rushed out of the cafe?”

Jinyoung turned to look at Mark's profile. It was almost amazing how attractive one person could be. “They are.”

“I figured. Yugyeom was absent minded when we met yesterday. I think his mind was on your friends but he wouldn’t say what happened.”

And neither would Jinyoung. What happened to Jackson and Youngjae was need to know, and Mark did not need to know. 

He watched as the other looked ahead, lips pursed together. He had something to say but Jinyoung felt he would never know.

Reaching the door to their room, he turned to regard Mark. “Well, this is it.”

“Yeah,” Mark whispered, glancing at the door before looking down at his feet. Jinyoung watched Mark fidget. It seemed as though Mark had something to say. 

It was a stark contrast to the confidence Mark normally displayed.

“Look, Jinyoung, you interest me.” Mark's face flushed red as he nervously glanced up to Jinyoung before lowering his eyes. “And I know this probably isn’t the right time to ask since you’re friends are in the hospital, but I was wondering if you wanted to- uh- hang out. Like a date, or not date if that's what you prefer. I don’t even know if you like guys. I’d be okay with just hanging out as friends since I just want to get to know you better.”

Jinyoung blinked as the other went on a nervous tangent. He could feel his ears burning red and he knew it would only be a few seconds longer before the rest of his face would follow. The last thing he expected was for Mark to ask him on a date, or not date. Mark was a commoner, a normal, and an innocent. He may have a questionable past in America that Jinyoung wanted to know, but he still had no connection to Jinyoungs world. 

His heavily thumping heart was begging him to say yes to the nervous man, but his mind was calling him an idiot for even considering it.

“We can go get coffee, or lunch, maybe dinner and a movie-”

“Coffee would be nice.” He interrupted. A place where they could just sit and talk would be nice. Jinyoung found Mark easy to talk to. 

Mark's head snapped up and he blinked in disbelief. Jinyoung found the look to be compelling. It caused him to want to give Mark everything he asked for. Jinyoung could see his interest in Mark developing into a crush. 

“Really?” His grin was shining. Mark giggled as he pulled out a pen and wrote down his number on the corner of one of his papers. Taking care to rip the info from the page, he handed it to Jinyoung. “Great, then give me a call or text and we can hash out the details.”

Jinyoung held the paper in his hand before smiling at the giddy man. Mark looked as though he had won the lottery. “I will.”

“Good, um, then I’ll see you later. Stay safe.” 

He walked away, turning back to wave a final goodbye that Jinyoung returned before he turned the corner. 

Jinyoung stood, keeping his gaze on the corner as the other disappeared before pushing that smiling face out of his mind and calming his beating heart. When he entered the room he had to be all business. He couldn’t afford to let Marks precious giggles, or cute smiles distract him from what he had to do. 

Taking a deep breath and then a sip of his coffee, he entered the room.


	13. It’s A Date

The air was thick and the tension was nearly tangible. Jinyoung could feel the irritation rolling off of Jaebeom in waves as he listened to Taecyeon relay what he had found. It seemed that Taecyeon and his team hadn’t been able to find much with the information Kwangsoo and Geonhee had provided. As they had been JYPs most trustworthy team, Jinyoung was disappointed.

“I sent Nichkhun and Jun to the Madams house to look for anything else the others might have missed. So far they haven’t been able to find anything.” His eyes shifted from Jaebeom to Jinyoungs as he spoke. He didn’t look pleased to bother the widowed madam again, but it had to be done. "No pictures, no notes, no documentation."

Jabeome nodded for him to continue. 

“Wooyoung and Jae are currently searching through the system with the description and should hopefully have a name by the end of the week.”

“It should be by the end of the day.” Youngjae chastised. “Jae is the best on the team when it comes to finding people. If you gave him the task we should have it by tomorrow the latest.”

Taecyeon sighed, his eyes soft as he regarded the injured man. “He’s already been looking for a week, it's why I put Wooyoung to help. They have a list of possible names but no one close enough to bring to your attention. No one on his list seems to have ties to the Mafia.”

“Then even with a physical description we’re still hitting a wall.” Jackson sighed, rubbing a hand through his hair as he leaned back on his pillows. “I thought we’d have a name by now.”

“Yugyeom.” Jaebeom called, “Have you had any luck?”

Jinyoung watched as the younger man flinched. He had been eerily quiet for the past week. He was still social but something had changed within the younger man. Jinyoung wondered what was on Yugyeom's mind. 

“Jisoo is spreading the word. Hopefully I’ll know something soon.”

Then there seemed to be no point in interrogating MBK before putting bullets through their skulls. Jinyoung felt irritated that the information had offered little to no help in identifying who the ghost was. Hopefully Nichkhun or Jun would be able to find a picture of the man in JYPs personal belongings. An actual picture would make the search easier. 

“Taecyeon, the description doesn’t ring any bells?” Jinyoung questioned. He tilted his head as all eyes lingered on him before shifting to the man being questioned. The man had been with JYP longer than the majority of men in the room. If anyone would know about the ghost it would be the man standing in front of them, or one of his team members.

“It does, but the man I'm thinking of died 8 years ago.”

Jinyoung raised a brow at the vague answer. He glanced at Jaebeom who nodded in agreeance. Jinyoung wasn’t a fan of being left out of the loop but he would let it slide this once. He would need to have a conversation with Jaebeom next time they were alone. 

“What about his son?” Jackson questioned. His tone somber. His body tensed, fist clenching on his lap.

Jaebeoms eyes cut to the normally energetic man, his eyes darkening at the question. Jinyoung found the exchange to be strange. Jackson knew who the two were speaking of, but it was clear they didn’t want to speak on it. What had happened that caused such tension?

“Jay is keeping an eye on him. He has been for the past 8 years.”

“His son?” Jinyoung questioned. He kept his eyes glued to Jackson and he expected an answer. Jaebeom would ignore him, Jackson could not. Jinyoung was still his boss and he would respect that. 

“Yi En.” Jackson answered, tensing completely at Jaebeoms look of irritation. 

Jinyoung didn’t know why Jaebeom was trying to hide information, but it didn’t bode well, especially when it was kept from his underboss. Whatever bothered JB, by fault, bothered them.

“Are we sure he has nothing to do with this?” Youngjae questioned, his tone unsure as he asked his lover. He looked just as confused as Bambam and Yugyeom. 

“He hasn’t stepped foot in Korea in 10 years. Plus, he doesn’t fit the description.” 

Silence settled in the room at the firm denial. If Jaebeom was so adamant about the son not being involved then they would have to drop it. They couldn’t go against their bosses wishes. 

“Taecyeon, thank you for your hard work. You can go.” Jaebeom dismissed. 

The man nodded before bowing in respect. He left, closing the door firmly behind him. 

“What the hell is wrong with you?” He scolded, glaring at Jackson who met his boss's gaze head on. 

“You know damn well he’s a potential threat to this family. They need to know about him.” Jackson returned the glare full force. 

“I decide what they need to know, not you.” Jaebeom hissed, standing from his chair and taking strides to stand by Jacksons bedside. Jinyoung stood as JB grabbed hold of Jackson's gown, pulling him close and staring him down. “Next time you try to undermine me I won’t be so nice about it.”

The tension in the room was unbearable. All eyes focused on Jaebeom and Jackson. They were the two members with the hardest heads. It wasn’t often that they clashed since they had been together for the longest, but when they did it often turned violent. Something that Jackson couldn’t handle in his current state. 

“Yes, boss.” Jackson's voice was low, his irritation masked behind his clenched teeth. He didn’t like being manhandled but there was nothing he could do but let it happen. At the end of the day JB was the head of the family and he still had to show respect.

Letting go of his gown, Jaebeom took a few steps back. He kept his gaze locked with Jacksons for a few seconds longer before turning on his heels and returning to his seat besided Youngjae's bed. 

Feeling the tension alleviate, Jinyoung slowly sat back down. Sometimes it felt as though they were children. 

“So,” Bambam spoke, breaking through the silence as though the tense exchange hadn’t just happened. “Anybody want any food?”

Youngjae snickered at the question, effectively changing the room's atmosphere.

“I thought I was the only one. I was about to start praying that my stomach didn’t start gowling.” Yugyeom added, dramatically draping himself over Bambam before standing to his feet. “Come, let’s go get some food.”

Bambam nodded, standing and wrapping his arm around Yugyeom's neck. “Anyone want anything?”

A chorus of ‘no’ was his answer and he shrugged before they headed out on their search for food. 

Jinyoungs mind lingered as Jackson and Youngjae started their own conversation, Jaebeom adding his input every now and again. Pulling out his cell, he moved to the contacts, eyeing the newly added name to his list. He wondered if it was too soon to contact Mark. 

It hadn’t even been two hours since the other had asked him on a date. Jinyoung felt giddy at the memory of the flushed cheeks and nervous gaze. He had assumed the butterflies in his stomach died when he was 13, but a mere thought of the older man was slowly reviving them. 

Stealing his nerver, he opened a new message with Mark's number and slowly typed it out. He re-read the message twice for errors. 

_ Hey, It’s Jinyoung. I figured you should have my number since I have yours.  _

It was casual. Not too much, but not too little. Jinyoungs heart thumped as his finger wavered over the send button. He felt like a school girl talking to her crush for the first time. It was a feeling he hadn’t felt since he was 12. 

“Jinyoung!” 

Jinyoung jolted as Jackson called out to him, his finger hitting send as his hand jerked in surprise. He silently cursed to himself as he looked up at his friends. They were watching him in curiosity, probably wondering why he was staring at his phone for so long.

“Yeah?” He responded, keeping his tone even. He didn’t need them asking questions. Mark was just a friend. A friend they would never know about if he had any say about it. He didn’t need the teasing they were sure to put him through. It was bad enough that Yugyeom was in constant contact with the doctor.

“What are you so focused on over there?” Youngjae asked. His eyes glistened as he waited for a response. Jinyoung knew they were expecting some type of juicy gossip. He wouldn’t give them the pleasure.

“A new fling, maybe?” Jackson teased, eyebrows wiggling.

“A new book.” Jinyoungs gaze flicked between the three and his gaze remained steady as he lied. Hopefully Mark would be more than a one time fling. He wouldn’t introduce the innocent to his world, but he would enjoy the time he could with the man. 

Jinyoung bit back a chuckle as Jackson and Youngjae’s interest instantly deflated. They never cared about what Jinyoung read, only his conquests, as they so affectionately called them. The last time Jinyoung had a fling was 3 months ago and it had nearly ended with the fling getting his dick shot off. He was the reason Jinyoung swore off having sexual encounters with men in the mafia.

Jaebeom raised a brow in disbelief. Of course he wouldn’t believe Jinyoung. He was the only one that was ever able to call Jinyoungs bluff, though he hardly ever called it anymore. Jinyoung kept his cool as he met the look with certainty. It's easy to lie when you had confidences.

“And what's the name of this book?” Jaebeoms eyes narrowed as he asked before a subtle smirk took over. He knew that Jinyoung wasn’t on his phone looking at books but he would let Jinyoung have his space. It was moments like these that Jinyoung hated how clearly Jaebeom saw through him

“ _ The Great Gatsby _ . I saw it a while ago and am debating on reading it.” Not too much, and not too little. Jaebeom would take what he would from that. Jinyoung would offer him no other information.

“Well then,” Jaebeom started, his speech slow as he addressed his underboss. There was a subtlety of protectiveness in his tone that Jinyoung easily picked up on. “Let me know how it reads.”

“Will do.” Jinyoung held back a grin at Jabeoms protective nature as the man turned back to Jackson and Youngjae who had lost interest in their conversation the moment the book was mentioned. Jaebeom didn’t know who Jinyoung was talking to, but he trusted him. He would let Jinyoung tell him when he was ready.

His phone vibrated in his hand and his nerves picked up at the name across his screen. He toyed with it, nervous to read the response. He glanced up at the other three before taking a deep breath and reading the message. 

_ Jinyounggie, I thought you would message me sooner.  _

Jinyoungs felt his ears burn at the nickname. It was amazing how the man caused his emotions to stir as they did. Mark wasn’t the only one to use the nickname but it affected him differently when it came from him. He should have messaged Mark his number as soon as it was given to him. He raised a brow as it vibrated again. 

_ I was thinking that I don’t want to wait too long to see you again. Seeing you every few days is no good. _

Jinyoungs heart skipped a beat at the message. Did that mean Mark wanted to meet up sooner, possibly tomorrow? Jinyong wouldn’t oppose the idea. He wanted to see Mark too. 

_ Do you have time tomorrow? _ He offered. It would let Mark know he was on the same page. He wanted to spend time with Mark as much as Mark wanted to spend with him.

His phone vibrated. 

_ I was thinking tonight. I get off at 6 and we can meet up at 7. _

Jinyoungs heart was hammering heavily in his chest, and he bit his lip to keep the grin from forming.  __ Glancing up at his family, he was grateful that they were paying him no mind. Their conversation lingered on a tv show that Jackson and Youngjae had found while looking for something to watch on a hospital tv with only 5 working channels. 

_ It’s a date _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi~ 2 things.  
> 1- I'm not a fan of this chapter so it's kind of strange for me.  
> 2- My chapters average 4-6 pages a chapter. Chapter 12 and 13 were 6 pages. The next chapter is going to be around 9 pages. Please keep in mind that sometimes even getting 4 pages written for a chapter is a hard for me. Please be mindful when you leave comments saying that the chapters are too short.
> 
> Lastly, and always, thank you for your comments and Kudos <3


	14. Unanswered Questions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was supposed to be 9 pages, it ended up being 13.  
> There's a lot of information in this chapter so pay attention.<3  
> 

Jinyoung watched as doctors and nurses alike fluttered around him in the small diner. Customers glanced at him, bowing their heads in greeting before moving to find their own seats. The small diner was only 4 blocks away from the Hospital.

Glancing at his phone, he had been waiting for 25 minutes and his heart had yet to calm. He was giddy, a feeling he hadn’t felt since he was a child with a crush on the boy next door. The same boy who had betrayed him before his 13th birthday. 

JB, Yugyeom, and Bambam had left the hospital over an hour ago so he had been able to reach the diner with no questions asked, and no teasing glances. Not that he would complain. He didn’t want Jaebeom to know more about Mark then he had already offered, and it hadn’t offered anything. He’d rather keep both aspects of his life as separated for as long as he could. 

Rubbing his hand through his hair, he ignored the shy giggles of a pair of nurses who attempted to catch his gaze. He never understood why these nurses felt the need to swoon over him as though they had never seen an attractive man before. 

Glancing at his watch, he sighed. Almost 30 minutes of waiting for Mark and his patience was slowly dimming. He wasn’t used to waiting. Had he known Mark would take so long to reach the destination that Mark had suggested then he would have offered to meet him in the Hospital lobby. At least then he would have at least known if the other was on the way.

The jingle of the diner bell rang and Jinyoung glanced at the door. He watched with amused eyes as Mark stumbled through, apologizing to the couple he stumbled into. Another detail to add onto his list of small facts. Mark was clumsy.

Raising a brow as the man looked around the small diner, he raised a hand in greeting as almond eyes met his. Mark's face lit up as he beamed. Jinyoung prayed the beating of his heart couldn’t be heard. 

“Jinyoungie!” He greeted, making his way to the table and ignoring the curious gazes of his coworkers. 

Jinyoung chuckled, taking in the doctor's appearance. A crisp white dress shirt with the top two buttons unbuttoned and the sleeves rolled up, blue slacks, and brown wingtip dress shoes. It was a different look without the white coat and tie. He looked edible, though Jinyoung had a suspicion he looked good in everything he wore.

“Hi Mark,” He welcomed, smiling as the other slid into the booth seat across from him. Mark looked flustered, as though he had run to reach the diner. His hair was tousled, and his breathing was labored. “I thought you had forgotten about me.”

“Trust me, if it was up to me I’d forget everyone but you.” Mark ran his hand through his hair, allowing the loose strands to fall. “Sorry for being so late.”

Jinyoung held back a swoon. He was already enamored with the man seated in front of him and he would have to do all that he could to stop himself from reacting in a way that would potentially embarrass himself.

"Rough day?" He questioned, grateful for his steady voice as he leaned up in his chair, resting his elbow on the table and his chin in his palm as Mark settle in.

"Terrible. Pediatrics is short staffed so I had double the patient's. Then someone decided to come late so I couldn't leave until they came."

"You didn't seem busy earlier."

“That’s because I’m a pro.” He bragged, a small smirk on his lips as he grabbed the menu in front of him and flipped it open to the first page. “I’m starving. Do you know what you want yet?”

Jinyoung watched as the other toyed with the pages of the plastic 2 page menu. His eyes never dropped to scan the words as they remained focused on him. Jinyoung had skimmed through the menu when he first sat, hoping that the small distraction would calm his nerves. He had a hard time focusing on the words in front of him. His mind was constantly attached to his late date.

“I haven’t decided yet.”

“Hi Mark, welcome back to Royal Coach.” The voice of the waiter interrupted, putting the conversation on hold. He placed napkins and utensils at the table before rubbing his hands on his black apron and grabbing a pen and pad. “What can I get for you gentleman to drink?”

Jinyoung watched as his date responded with an unenthusiastic greeting. The man in turn, a young man who looked to be in his late teens, beamed as he looked down at Mark. Jinyoung could have sworn he saw adoration lingering in his dark hues. He was an attractive teen.

“Do you know what you want to drink, Jinyounggie?” Mark asked.

Looking away from the lovestruck teen, Jinyoung was pleased to find almond eyes completely focused on him. It made him feel like he was the only person in the room that mattered. His heart thumped at the thought.

Mark had made it obvious that he was the only one on his mind. 

“Water for now.” He answered, blinking as he kept his eyes locked on his blond date. It didn’t matter how the waiter looked at Mark, the only thing that mattered was how Mark was looking at him.

“I’ll take a coke.” He answered, smiling slightly as he tapped his fingers against the table. 

“Your waiter will be by to take your orders shortly.” The waiter forced, slightly less enthusiastic as Mark refused to even spare him a glance. His eyes narrowed in resentment as he glanced at Jinyoung and the teen faked a smile before walking away. Jinyoung felt it to be rude to ignore the boy but he couldn’t find it in himself to truly care. It wasn’t his fault that Mark refused to entertain the young man. 

He wondered briefly how often Mark dined at the restaurant for the man to know his first name. 

“The boy looked at you like you put stars in the sky.” Jinyoung asked casually, looking down at the menu to find something that sounded appetizing. It seemed as though they were in an American style restaurant. How had he missed that?

“Samuel?” Mark raised a brow, closing his menu and leaning up in his seat, resting his chin in his palm as he rested his elbow on the table. “I never noticed.”

Jinyoung felt as though he were being analyzed. He steeled his nerves as he felt his ears burn red. The look was more intense than he had expected.

“You’re on a first name basis with him?” Jealousy had never looked good on him. 

“I guess.” Mark shrugged, uncaring about the boy. “I come here often enough to know everyones name.”

Jinyoungs finger twitched as relief crept up on him. It bothered him that Mark could have an actual relationship with the boy but he was relieved there was none. Mark truly didn’t care about the boy who probably wished for nothing more than a night in Marks bed, and Jinyoung was happy. Hiding his smile from the other as he looked down at the menu, he closed it as he made his decision. 

“Look at who stopped by for a visit.” A new voice sounded in crisp english as their waitress stopped in front of their table, putting their drinks in front of them. The woman stood tall with long brunette hair and a kind smile. Her eyes sparkled with mischief as she glanced as Jinyoung before settling her look back on Mark. She took a couple of straws from her apron and placed it in front of them. “About time you show your face again.”

“Hi Tiffany.” Mark greeted, english flowing from his lips as he smiled at the girl, his smile boyish. Jinyoung found the smile to be adorable and his english tone captivating. He wondered what the relationship between the two was. Tiffany seemed to care about Mark and Mark cared enough to actually address her. It was a stark contrast to how he treated Samuel. “Sorry, I’ve been busy.”

“With a smile like that I have no choice but to forgive you.” Tiffany chuckled before turning her attention onto Jinyoung, her smile only widening and her eyes sparkling. She sent a sly glance towards Marks before tilting her head back to Jinyoung. “And who is this cutie that you’ve brought into my fine establishment?”

Her eyes were glistening with interest, as though she found something new and shiny. Jinyoung wasn’t used to being looked at in such a way but his ears burned at being called cute. She seemed to be the teasing type.

“This is Jinyoung, my date.” Mark answered, returning to Korean, his voice steady and confident. Jinyoung felt his heart pounded at the introduction and he smiled at the woman as she reached a hand out in greeting. 

“Nice to meet you, Jinyoung.” She greeted in fluent Korean, her tone higher and more chipper than it had been when speaking english.

“Nice to meet you as well.” Jinyoungs hand dropped back to the table. The woman was personable. Jinyoung could see why Mark got along well with her. 

“Now that we have introductions out of the way,” Tiffany straightened her back and smiled sweetly at her guest. “What would you like to eat, Jinyoung?”

Jinyoung wasn’t used to eating at places he didn’t have a hand in, or over. The genuine hospitality made him feel warm, like the woman truly cared about her customers. He only hoped the food was as good as the service.

“I’ll take the Delux Burger with fries.” His stomach rumbled at the mere thought of food. He was starving. 

“Great choice,” She turned to Mark. “You want your regular?”

Mark nodded, smiling at the woman as she grabbed their menus and left their table with the promise to return shortly. 

“They seem to really like you here.” Jinyoung observed. It seemed Mark had a close relationship with Tiffany. She knew him well enough to encourage a smile that Samuel had probably been hoping for. 

“They should. I’ve been coming here for the past 6 years.” He scoffed, his smile tilting as his eyes sparkled. “It’s the only place in the area that offers authentic tasting American food.”

Everything about the establishment was American. Everywhere he looked he was reminded of the diner in the movie Grease. The only difference was no jukebox in the corner, and everything seemed more modern. 

“So Jinyoung,” Mark started, his eyes sparkling with interest. “Tell me about yourself.”

Jinyoung took a sip of his water. “What would you like to know?”

“Everything.” Mark tilted his head to the side, a lopsided smile adorning his face. Jinyoungs heart fluttered. “But I’ll settle for what you do for a living.”

“I have 2 businesses.” Legal of course. He wouldn’t tell Mark of his life in the mafia which included many more jobs that would be frowned upon. “I own a small club by Seoul University, and a restaurant in the outskirts of Seoul.”

“Yeah?” Mark questioned, interest flowing off him in waves. “What’s the name of your club? Maybe I’ve been.”

Jinyoung raised a brow. Mark didn’t really seem to be the type to go to a club, but if he hung out with Yugyeom outside of school then he could see the younger man pulling him along. Jinyoungs club was the only one the younger man could go to with no worries about who would be there. It was legally operated, but no mafia would dare step foot into the establishment. “M2. Yugyeom goes there often.”

“M2?” Tapping a finger against his chin in thought, Mark pursed his lips before his eyes lit up in recognition. “Oh, I’ve been there. Nice place, but not as small as you said it was.”

Smiling at the compliment, Jinyoung tapped his fingers against the table. “I guess you could say that. I want to expand, maybe change the location.”

“Spoken like a true businessman.” Mark teased, his eyes fond and filled with interest at whatever spilled from Jinyoungs lips. “You look too young to be running your own business.”

Jinyoung shrugged. It wasn’t the first time he had been told something along the lines, just like he was sure Mark was often told the same about being a doctor. “I have to make an honest living somehow.”

Something flashed by Mark's gaze but it was gone before Jinyoung could recognize it. “You’re what, 24? 25?”

“25.” 

“A year younger then. I guess it’s not too hard to believe that you own a few businesses.” Mark grabbed his soda, taking a long sip before leaning back in his seat. “I assume both businesses are booming.”

“Why do you say that?” Jinyoung raised a brow at the assumption.

“You’re wearing a Brunello Cucinelli suit, and I’ve never seen you in anything cheaper.” He spoke casually, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. He took another sip of his drink.

“You know your brands.” He observed. It was true that he never wore anything but designer suits, but the names were never advertised. JB prefered for them to be well dressed for even the smallest occasions so they often wore suits. The only suits Jinyoung owned were brands only the wealthy, or fashionistas knew. 

“My mom loved designer brands.” Mark frowned. “She believed how you dress is a staple for who you are.” 

Jinyoung blinked. It seemed as though Mark's mom found appearance to be important. To know brands not well known meant she took it seriously. It made Jinyoung wonder about the type of childhood Mark had. Was he forced to parade like a rich boy to make his family look good? Was his family rich? “Did your mom use to dress you in designer clothes as a kid?”

Mark's eyes flashed with grief before all emotion bled away. He played with the straw in his cup. Jinyoung could see Mark's thoughts working overtime but he assumed he was debating on what to tell Jinyoung. It was obvious he didn’t want to talk about his childhood, possibly because of his mother. 

“I don’t want to talk about myself. I want to know more about you.” Mark waved his hand, changing the conversation and offering no answer. A charming smile displayed on his lips as he waited for the subject to drop completely.

Jinyoung narrowed his skeptic eyes. He would have to allow Mark his privacy but it didn't help quench Jinyoungs curiosity, if anything it only added flame to the fire. Thinking back to his initial meeting with Mark, Mark clearly had no intentions of offering anything related to America or his childhood. 

“Here you go boys.” Tiffany's chipper tone broke the tension as she placed the food in front of them. She took out a bottle of Ketchup from her apron and Jinyoung idly wondered just how much the woman was able to fit in those pockets. “Can I get you anything else?”

Jinyoung watched as Mark smiled up at the woman. The smell of the food washed over his senses as he looked down at his plate. He blinked before smiling at the woman who had asked them a question. “I’m fine, thank you.”

His smile dropped slightly as he went back to looking at his date, pensive. There were so many unanswered questions surrounding the mysterious man. He wanted to know what Mark was so adamant about hiding. Why did he close himself off when his childhood was mentioned? Had it been because of his mother? Was he not on speaking terms with the woman who birthed him? Questions flew through his mind and his interest in the blond man only grew. 

“Jinyoung?” 

Mark's voice broke his rampant thoughts and he blinked, pulling himself from his constant mind ramblings. A brown set of eyes were focused on him, curiosity and interest. He hadn’t realized Tiffany had walked away.

“Sorry, can you repeat that?” He felt his ears burn in embarrassment. He hadn’t expected to get lost in his thoughts. 

“I asked how your friends were.” Mark took a bite of his food, smiling at the flavor and dancing in his seat. 

Jinyoung held back a chuckle. If Mark wanted to change the topic he would allow it. There was no point in pressuring the man into talking about something he clearly didn’t want to talk about. Hopefully, one day, they would be close enough for Mrk to feel comfortable enough to share all of his history with him.

“They’re fine, almost ready to be discharged.” It would be a huge relief when they were back on their feets. Jaebeom was only growing more irritated. When Jackson was discharged he would be able to manage business deals while Taecyeon helped his men look for clues. Youngjae's release Jaebeom would calm as well.

“That’s good.” Mark smiled, though it was emptier than normal. “I was worried Yugyeom would mope around for the rest of the month.”

Jinyoung raised a brow. Mark had mentioned earlier that Yugyeom had been distracted last they met and the boy had been absent minded during the meeting. He would need to have a conversation with him. He needed to know what the kid was going through but he hoped it was simply school related. Yugyeom tended to be distant when he was studying for a big test. 

Feeling his stomach rumble in hunger, Jinyoung lifted his burger and took his first bite. He wasn’t the biggest fan of burgers, but this one set a standard. He hummed in satisfaction and his eyes closed as the flavors invaded his mouth. If this was how all of the food tasted then Jinyoung would have to make another visit. 

“It’s good, isn’t it?” Mark teased, taking a bite of his own chicken wings and smiling as he watched Jinyoung's reaction. He looked proud, as though he had made all of the right life choices. 

“Really good. I’ve never had a burger this good.”

Mark chuckled, reaching for his cup and taking a long sip. “The first time I came here I ordered that burger. It’s why I've continued to come. I told myself that if a burger was that good then the rest of the menu had to be good as well.”

“Is it?” Jinyoung questioned, taking another bite of his burger and holding back a moan at the taste. It really was the best burger he had ever tasted.

“It is. I came for the burger but stayed for the wings.”

Jinyong chuckled as he reached for his water. He would probably need a refill soon. “I’ll have to try it the next time I come.”

“Not without me, I hope.” Amusement sparkled in Mark's eyes.

Jinyoung felt his heart flutter as he looked at the man. A soft smile played on his lips and he wanted nothing more than to run his fingers through blond hair. He would bury the desire. Even if he wanted to move forward with Mark he wouldn’t be able to. The man had too many dark rooms and Jinyoung wouldn’t be willing to take any steps that weren’t purely physical without unlocking a few more doors. 

“Maybe.” Jinyoung would play coy. “If you answer my question.”

Mark raised a brow as he nibbled on a wing. “Okay, shoot.”

“Why did you really come to Korea?”

Mark's smile became stale and Jinyoung wondered if he would receive an honest answer. It had bothered him, not knowing. He wanted to- needed to know the reason Mark was in Korea and why America seemed to be a delicate topic. It was the only way he would stop questioning Mark. The only way he would stop doubting he was completely innocent. 

“You expect me to offer you something personal when you offer none in return?” Mark's eyes shined with mischief as he leaned into the table. “You’ll give me a second date regardless of an answer but I’ll make you a deal. If you answer my question first then I’ll answer yours.”

Jinyoung shivered at the control in the other's voice. A power that Jinyoung hadn’t even known the kind man possessed lingered in his voice and he felt attracted to it. It was alluring and had no problems pulling him in. Mark was a puzzle that Jinyoung desperately needed to crack. “Ask your question.”

Mark's lips twitched but the emotion was short lived. “Tell me about your parents.”

Blinking as though air had been blown directly into his eyes, Jinyoung resisted the urge to flinch. He hadn’t seen his parents since he left home and hadn’t thought about them since joining his new family. He often evaded the topic of his parents when they were brought up, they were strangers to him now, but he didn’t like when asked about them. They were dead to him.

The look of gratification that flashed across Mark's eyes proved that he had aimed for a topic Jinyoung wouldn’t care to discuss and his reaction must have been confirmation of what the other had hoped for. Normally Jinyoung would act as though he hadn’t heard the question, but answering the question caused him to gain more than loose. Jinyoung was willing to do anything for his own interests. 

“My birth parents? Last time I saw them I was getting on a bus and leaving Jinhae-gu.” 

Mark's brow raised slightly in surprise. He had probably been expecting an answer that offered little information. Much like Mark answered questions he didn't want too. "You make it sound like they didn't raise you when you call them your birth parents."

“They stopped raising me when I turned 13.” His mind lingered on the little boy who had effectively ruined his life. He wondered how well his life had turned out.

“13?” Mark whispered. His eyes were wide in his confusion. “Did they give you up for adoption?”

“No, but they found out I was gay and to them it was enough to disown me.” He rubbed a hand through his hair. “Luckily it took them 3 more years before they decided I was too much of a disgrace to deal with. They put me on a bus but I never reached my destination. I ended up in Seoul.”

A heavy silence settled on the table as Jinyoung spoke. His thoughts lingered to the night JYP had taken him home. He had cried for nights after that and JYP had held him as though he were his precious child. It was the first time he had ever cried about his miserable life. Jaebeom and Jackson had been there, watching over him with understanding. They knew what he was going through, they had their own stories with their own parents. Their bond was secured by the second day.

After the 3rd day he had calmed down. It was the last night he had cried for the parents who hadn’t wanted him. 

“You haven’t seen your parents in nearly 10 years?” Mark continued his questions in a hushed tone. He was sensitive to the subject and Jinyoung couldn’t help but appreciate the lack of pity his eyes portrayed. His look mirrored the look of his two closest friends, the men he would grow to call brothers. “What about siblings?”

“I have two sisters, a few years older.” They hadn’t crossed his mind since he had left. They had been close but his sisters couldn’t deal with him in the same way his parents couldn’t, though they had at least tried. “They supported me for a week before the pressure of my parents got to them. We never spoke after that. I lost my sisters a week after I lost my parents.”

“What did you do by yourself?” Mark asked as though Jinyoungs life was the most fascinating story he had ever been told. His chicken lay forgotten on his plate and his focus was placed solely on Jinyoung. “It must have been hard for a 16 year old.”

“I lived on the streets until I was 17. That’s when I was taken in by a man who put a roof over my head and gave me a warm meal. He took care of me and supported my life choices.” JYP had saved his life and Jinyoung would never be able to repay that debut. Not even after death. 

Mark hummed, lost in his own thoughts. His eyes glazed as he thought about Jinyoungs story before coming back into focus. Jinyoung wondered where his thoughts lingered. He looked as though he had more questions to ask but as he eyes Jinyoung, he knew he would be probably met with friction. He had, after all, only asked about his parents. 

Jinyoung watched Mark the same way the other as the other watched him. He felt his finger twitch at the steady gaze. Mark was probably wondering where he was mentally after answering the question but he had nothing to worry about. Jinyoung had come to terms with his family a long time ago. It no longer bothered him to the point of heartache. 

He really wanted a cigarette. 

“Well,” Mark started, clearing his throat and grabbing his soda for a sip. His voice was light and Jinyoung knew the older man was satisfied with his answers. “As you’ve held up your side of the deal, I’ll hold up mine as well.”

Jinyoung watched patiently as Mark ate a chicken wing from his plate. He grabbed his own water to busy his hands and played with the straw. It seemed as though Mark had to mentally prepare himself for his answer.

“I had a pretty good childhood.”

Blinking in confusion, Jinyoung was lost. What did Mark's childhood have to do with his leaving America, and why did he feel the need to bring it up after Jinyoung shared his less then good one?

“I had both parents and they treated me really well, despite my mother's overbearing personality, and my fathers need to rule the house with an iron fist. I was happy, I like to think we all were.”

Jinyoung bit his lip as he listened. Mark’s eyes were glazed as he spoke of his past, as though he was lost in the memory. 

“My mom died when I was 16.” Mark blinked out of his memory, his tone changing as though he was speaking about the weather. The nonchalonce in his tone startled Jinyoung. He had clearly loved his mother, so the lack of emotion when speaking of her death was troubling. 

“My father didn’t handle it well. My mother's love was apparently the only thing that kept him sane. He grew angry, and blamed everyone he could for her death. He became violent, more strict, and completely overbearing. He latched onto me since I was the only thing he had left of her but even that was too much. He would lock me in the house and forbid me from leaving for days at a time.”

Mark stuck a fry into his mouth, meeting Jinyoungs gaze head on. He wondered how Mark could speak of such horrible things with little to no emotion. It was horrendous, what he had gone through. Jinyoung struggled to keep his emotion in check. All he wanted was to pull Mark into his arms and protect him from the world.

“Was he violent towards you?” He kept his voice even as he spoke. It seemed as though Mark's father had become possessive with his son after his wife's death. 

“He needed an outlet and I was the only one always there.” Mark shrugged. Taking another sip of his soda before continuing to eat his food.  
Jinyoungs thought lingered back to the night they had met. Mark had told him he had been through worse than a gun shoved in his face, now Jinyoung wondered just how much worse it actually was. He wouldn’t question it, but he felt a growing hatred for Mark's father. His heart was breaking for his date. 

“It took me years to get out of there. When I got accepted to Seoul on an academic scholarship I took it. I knew if I didn’t one of us would end up dead.”

A tense silence settled over the table and Jinyoung wanted nothing more than to take his gun and shove it up Mark's father's ass before pulling the trigger. A surge of protective possession flared in Jinyoung.

“He just let you go?” It wasn’t likely. If Mark's father was possessive enough to lock him in the house he probably hadn’t taken him leaving well either.

“He didn’t have a choice. I didn’t tell him about my acceptance and I put a sleeping pill in his food on the night I left. I left with nothing, only a bag and the clothes on my back. Luckily I was able to live on campus for a few years and was able to find a few people who took pity and helped me out.”

“Did he not try to find you?” Jinyoung wondered idly if he was prying too much. He wouldn’t blame Mark if he shut him down and changed the conversation. 

“He did, but the last place he would expect me to be is Korea. He might think I’m still in America, or he could think I’m in Taiwan since I'm Taiwanese.”

The silence was less tense then it had been moments ago. Jinyoung felt as though he could view Mark in a new light. He had learned a lot of the older man in the last few minutes and his interest in the man had only grown. 

“You’re Taiwanese?” Jinyoung questioned, letting the conversation smoothly transition to the next topic. He didn’t know how much heaviness he could take. 

Mark nodded, smiling as he stuck a fry in his mouth. “Full blooded.”

“You speak Mandarin?” Jinyoungs eyes sparkled as he asked. Mark was a man of many languages it seemed. Jinyoung's heart thumped as his crush on the other grew. 

“I do. It’s my native tongue.” Mark smirked, leaning up on the table as his gaze dropped to Jinyoungs lips before meeting his gaze. “I can teach you, among other things, if you want?” 

“I would love for you to teach me that, among other things.” Jinyoungs tone dropped as he spoke. He leaned up in his seat, mirroring Mark, and looked down at the others lips. Now that he knew more about Mark he wouldn’t mind ending this date in a more intimate position. 

“Well,” Mark licked his lips, “We can always start tonight. I have time.” 

“I would like that very much.”

“I’ll grab the check.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I absolutely enjoy all of the theories on who Mark is! So far no one has guessed right but some were pretty close.  
> I hope I'm able to surprise ya'll when the time comes!
> 
> Also, for the record... I'm apologizing in advance and you'll see why soon. <3


	15. Capo’s and Betrayers

The night had been perfect. They had left the Royal Coach Diner with full intentions of Mark teaching Jinyoung new things. The cool gust of wind doing nothing to calm their fevered skin as they made their way to the nearest hotel, a hotel that Mark frenquested when he was too tired to go home after pulling a 24 hour shift. 

Mark's mouth had latched onto his as soon as the door clicked closed. Shirts were unbuttoned as they moved through the room, pants were unbuckled as they tumbled onto the bed, and a warm moth was firmly wrapped around his di-

"Boss!"

A chipper man called as he stepped out of the hotel. Jinyoung didn’t recognize the young driver but he couldn’t find it in himself to care. Narrowing his eyes in irritation, he glared fire at the young man whose mouth clamped shut instantly. He stood with the door held open and dropped his eyes to the ground.

A man of Jinyoungs stature didn’t have many life regrets. Every decision made was well planned and hardly anything was ever done on impulse. Answering his phone, however, had been a well thought out decision that he would regret for the next month. He had answered the phone iritably, but had hung up the phone annoyed. He had been close, so fucking close and it was all pulled away as though it wasn’t meant to be. 

Now, as his mind lingered back to the man sitting in room 502, Jinyoung was pissed and everyone who crossed paths with him would know it. 

Sliding into the car, he kept his eyes focused out of the window as they moved. He should have put his phone on silent and thrown it to the other side of the room as soon as his shirt came off. That would have been ample reason to neglect a call. But he hadn't, and he didn't. He couldn't ignore the sound of the ringtone the same way he couldn't ignore the reason for that specific song. 

ImJaebeom was calling. Im Jaebeom was a cock block.

He had answered the call with a scathing 'what' and he knew from the silence he received from the other end that his aggression hadn't been expected. 

_‘We need to talk. It’s important.'_

_'I'll be right there.'_ And he had ended the call without waiting for a response. Looking down at the curious gaze of Mark, whose eyes were wide and lips pouted with a hand still wrapped around him, he explained it was work and apparently too important to put off till the morning. He left with a chaste kiss and a promise to call.

Jinyoung bristled as he remembered the short conversation with his leader. What was so important that his leader felt the need to call him so late into the night? Was there an attack? Had something gone wrong with Jackson or Youngjae? Jinyoung truly hoped that was the case. If it was anything that could have waited he vowed he would raise hell. 

Without waiting for the driver to open his door, he slid out of the car and marched into Jeabeoms home. Staff moved out of the way as he passed, bowing their heads in respect as he ignored every one of them. He didn't have the patience to deal with people at the moment and the car ride had done little to ease his frustrations. 

Reaching Jaebeoms office, he slid in, making sure the door closed shut behind him. He sent a nod to the man who eyed him as he made himself comfortable, sitting in the armchair facing the desk. He leaned to the side, crossing his leg, and rubbing a hand through his hair. 

A cigarette wouldn’t even help his mood right now.

“What a pleasure it is to see you again, Jinyoung.”

Jinyoungs eyes narrowed at Jaebeoms sarcastic tone. They had seen eachother not even 10 hours ago at the hospital. The leader knew he wasn’t happy to be summoned so he would take pleasure in toying with him. It pissed Jinyoung off more.

“Wish I could say the same, Jaebeom.” He tried to keep his tone steady but it hadn’t helped. The irritation was nearly palpable.

Jaebeom raised a brow, leaning onto his desk and resting his chin in the palm of his hand. He was probably thinking of how to handle Jinyoungs attitude. He could pull rank and demand respect, but Jinyoung couldn’t see him going that route. Not while they were alone. 

Their dynamic shifted while they were alone. 

“I don’t appreciate you hanging up on me.”

“I don’t appreciate you calling me while I’m having my dick sucked.” He snapped, running another hand through his hair. 

“You must have gotten to a good point in the book then.” Jaebeoms lip twitched at his reference to their earlier discussion as he bit back a laugh. “You didn’t have to answer the phone. You could have called me back if you wanted to finish the chapter.”

Jinyoung scoffed. That would never be an option. Had he finished with Mark before calling Jaebeom back he would have been in the dog house. JB didn’t like to be left waiting, and if Jinyoung had his way he would have been waiting a long time. 

“Didn’t know that was an option.”

Jaebeoms lips spread into a sarcastic smile. “You’re right. It’s not an option.”

Clenching his jaw, Jinyoung pushed away thoughts of the blond he left sitting disappointed on the bed. He would give anything to go back to that hotel room and stick his tongue down a throat that had been so warm and moist and had fit so perfectly around his-

“You seem abnormally frustrated. How long has it been since you’ve fucked a warm body?” 

“Fuck you, Jaebeom.” He hissed, glaring daggers at his amused leader. If glares could kill, Jaebeom would have been dead 3 times over. 

The man chuckled. He knew how frustrating it was to have to stop in the middle of sex, just like he knew how frustrating it was to go months without being laid. He knew better than anyone when the last time Jinyoung released his sexual frustration. It wasn’t often that he had free nights. 

Jinyoungs glare lessened as the air in the room shifted. Jaebeoms smile slowly disappeared and Jinyoung knew the pleasantries were over. They were no longer best friends, but Boss and Under Boss. Jinyoung straightened his back.

“I have reason to believe that we have a mole.” Jaebeoms jaw clenched as he watched closely for Jinyoungs reaction. 

A spy in the ranks wasn’t unheard of. They had been working overtime to flush out unloyal soldiers since Ju Hyuk Cha had betrayed them, but if Jaebeom had requested to speak to him alone then the mole was potentially higher in the ranks. Jaebeom didn’t know who to trust of his most loyal men.

“Do you think-”

“I can’t rule out any possibilities.” Jaebeom interjected. He leaned back, tapping his finger against the desk and releasing a deep breath. “All I know is someone higher ranked than a soldier is giving information that only a Caporegime would know.”

“And Jackson?”

“He’s the only other person I can trust. You both have been with me long enough to notice the subtle changes. You two are the only consistency amongst the crowd. It helps that Jackson can’t lie to me for shit.”

A cold silence settled in the room as Jinyoung wrapped his head around what was just said. When Jaebeom had become boss he hand selected the 4 to be the ones closest to them. They were their most trusted companions and they were supposed to be the ones who would follow them with no hesitation. To know that one of them could be betraying the family was a harder pill to swallow than a regular Capo, or a simple soldier. Youngjae, Bambam, and Yugyeom were their brothers. 

“What makes you think we have a mole higher in the ranks?” He questioned. He wouldn’t disagree with Jaebeom, there was a reason he was the boss. His intuition and drive had gotten him through most situations unharmed. He was always on point when it came to betrayals, but he wanted to know why Jaebeom had suspected the mole to be someone other than a soldier. 

“I received a call from Fei. An outsider had been trying to sell information about our operations to a man named Wang. I assume that Wang is the new alias of the son of a bitch we’re trying to find.” A flash of rage flashed through Jaebeoms gaze and Jinyoung sat up just a little bit straighter. “Fei detained the man but she found the information wasn’t stolen from him but from another who had more knowledge of the family then an outsider. She believes that the man got his information from someone higher in the ranks since he had classified information.”

Jinyoung kept his surprise hidden as he nodded his head in understanding. Fei worked in the black market. She was often charged with making sure blackmarket purchases and sales ran without a hitch. If she detained a man who was selling information then it was probably more than simply classified. 

“Do you have any leads on how the information was obtained?”

“I outsourced. I reached out to Seungyoon to help Fei since I can’t rule out anyone in our team. He had interrogated the man after Fei turned him over. Neither were able to find anything.”

Seungyoon and Jaebeom worked well together. Both had a hand in the black market but Seungyoon worked more with contraband and organ sales. His team members each had different specialties which allowed them to work well as a four member team. They had been five but one of their members had been killed by an opposing team. Jaebeom had helped them with their revenge and they had been indebted to Jaebeom ever since, always helping when requested.

If neither were able to find anything from the man then it was hopeless. 

“You want for me to keep an eye on the men?” He already knew the answer, but he asked anyway. He couldn't do much with no access to the man who was probably cut into pieces and fed to Feis pet dobermans. 

“I need for you to oversee the legal businesses while I keep track of the others. I haven’t been able to rule out any of our associates so I’ll leave that task to you. Once Jackson gets released he’ll help me.”

Jinyoung noded. It wouldn’t be hard as he was already overseeing the majority of clean money businesses, but he would have to work on narrowing the search to those with means to betray them. He watched as Jaebeom closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and allowing all of the tension to leave his body. His stress had been at an all time high. 

“I’ll let you know after I’ve checked everyone out.”

Jaebeoms head tilted, a thankful smile spreading across his lips. His eyes dropped low, showing how tired he actually was. 

“Thank you, Jinyoung.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter would have gone up on Tuesday, like the last few chapters, but I had a hard time finding the motivation to edit this chapter like i normally would before posting. I'm kind of satisfied with it now so I hope you guys enjoy it~~


	16. Duàn Yi Ēn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Mark Tuan. I truly do.

Jinyoung released a sigh, rubbing his hand through his hair as he waited impatiently in the hospital lobby. Jackson had called him late last night, begging for a ride home. He had claimed Jaebeom would force him to work as soon as he was released so he wanted to avoid him. He wanted to take some time to clean his house since he was sure it was full of dust and expired food after 2 weeks of vacancy. 

Jinyoung had wanted to ask why he hadn’t called Bambam but he knew it would be a moot question. Jackson didn’t allow anyone to know his address, only Jinyoung and Jaebeom had the privilege. The others had been offended when Jackson first stonewalled their attempts, but once Jaebeom explained how Jackson joined JYP they had understood. He didn’t trust anyone with that information. 

Glancing down at his watch, he shifted uncomfortable in his chair. He had been waiting for a full 45 minutes. Had he known Jackson would take so long he would have done his errands for the day before stopping by the hospital. 

He had planned on visiting the small cafe in order to ‘oversee’ the staff, management, and how the business was being run. It was the last check on his list of legal businesses and he was thankful nothing was out of place. He had a run across a problem with a capo embezzling money from a relatively established restaurant that they had acquired, but he had been quickly handled and replaced. 

The Capo had thought that the location would support the financial records but a quick bank record check had proved him wrong. Jinyoung had known the rundown looking building would bring in a surge of funds. The place had a certain charm that often drew a crowd. 

Grabbing his phone, he unlocked it before sending Jackson a short message asking where he was. He was annoyed that a response wasn’t quick. 

Jinyoung thought about going up to the man's room and saying hello to Youngjae but he didn’t have the patience to deal with the annoying nurse who did nothing but cry and whine every time she saw him. 

It wasn’t his fault that he had reached his breaking point with her constant clinging. He would never feel bad for calling her a banshee that would die alone since she smelled of desperation and stupidity. 

Jaebeom and Yugyeom had laughed outright as the girl ran off crying, and Mark had chuckled when Jinyoung explqined why one of the nurses left her shift early. Mark had looked pleased that he had finally turned the girl down. 

Speaking of Mark, Jinyoung was surprised that he hadn’t seen the blond. Mark had called Jinyoung when his overnight shift ended at 7 in the morning. His voice had been groggy as he explained that wanted to hear Jinyoung's voiceoice before taking a short nap in the break room. His next shift started at 7:30. Mark was working a double.

It had been 3 hours since the call so Jinyoung knew the other was working. 

Jinyoung wondered if he should look for the man since Jackson was taking his sweet time reaching the lobby. He hadn’t seen him in person since their date due to their conflicting schedules. Sure, they often facetimed during the day, and sometimes at night, but seeing Mark's face through a pixelated screen did nothing to capture his beauty. 

Feeling his phone vibrate in his hand, his heart thumped thinking that Mark had texted him. He was disappointed when Jacksons message flashed across the screen. He had forgotten he had texted Jackson in the first place. 

‘Sorry, 10 minutes. The doctor wanted to do a final check.’

Sending a quick ‘hurry up’ in response, he stood to his feet, pocketing his phone and stretching his limbs. Sitting for so long had caused his legs to tingle as he stood. He really should have just gone to the room. At least then he would have had someone to talk to.

“Jinyoungie?”

A familiar voice called. Turning to the voice, Jinyoung couldn’t hold back a grin as the newly dyed black haired doctor stopped in front of him.

Jinyoung eyed him as he took in his new appearance. There was something mysterious about the man now that he had darker hair. Jinyoung felt the color enhanced his charm.

“Hi Mark,” He greeted in return, eyes lingering on the black hair a moment longer before setting on Marks grinning face. “I see you changed your hair.”

“I dyed it yesterday. I was tired of the blond.” Mark's grin only widened as his eyes roamed over Jinyoung's fit. His gaze lingered a little longer than appropriate as they reached his midsection but they rose before Jinyoung was able to question it. “Do you like it?”

“I do.” Jinyoung nodded, reaching a hand out to caress his hair and smiling when a chuckle left the others lips. Another thing he had learned about the older man was that he was naturally cute. “It makes me want to dye mine.”

“You would look good with a new color, but if you dye it you won’t be my black haired beauty anymore.”

Jinyoung felt his face flush at the compliment. Mark was a pro at off handed compliments and he didn’t miss the way Mark had called him his. Had it been anyone else he would have disagreed but when it came from Mark he didn’t mind it. It didn’t matter to him as long as he could call Mark his as well. 

Shit, he really liked Mark. 

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

A comfortable silence settled between the two. Jinyoung found himself at a loss for words and Mark seemed content to just watch him. It was interesting how much closer they had gotten since their first date. Hopefully they would be able to go on their second date soon. A week in between was already a week too long. 

Mark hummed, stuffing his hands in his coat pocket as he smiled gently at Jinyoung. “Since it’s safe to assume you aren’t here for me, are you visiting your friends?”

“It’s not a social visit this time. One of them is being released so I’m waiting for him to be discharged.”

Mark's smile dimmed slightly but he kept his gaze firmly on Jinyoung. Another thing that Jinyoung had noticed about the other man, his smile always dimmed when Jinyoung spoke about the wellbeing of his friends. It was a curious reaction since Mark was always the first one to ask about them. Jinyoung idly wondered if he should question it or if he was over thinking things. 

“That’s good to hear. They were here for a while. Their injuries must have been bad.”

Jinyoung nodded his head in confirmation. Mark's words were kind but there was something off about his tone. Warning bells rang in Jinyoungs head as he kept his attention on the doctor. His words were empty, and Jinyoung wondered if Mark's sudden change was simply because of his lack of sleep. 

“Why are you-”

“Park-gae!” A loud voice called out. 

Jinyoung tensed slightly at the obnoxious nickname and turned in time to catch the hyperactive man in his arms. Jackson was all smiles as he wrapped his arms around his boss. 

“Can you believe I’m finally free. I thought they were never going to let me leave this hell hole!” He whined laughing as he strangled Jinyoung with his grip.

Jinyoung struggled to pull free, chuckling at the hyper man's antics. Out of all of the members Jackson was the most affectionate, and the affection only increased when he was excited. Finally pulling away from Jackson who struggled to strengthen his grip around Jinyoungs neck, he ignored the whines as he turned to introduce Mark to his friend. His smile became stiff before dropping from his face as he took in Mark's cold gaze. His chest tightened at the look Mark was sending an unaware Jackson.

It sent a sense of anxiety through his veins as he felt a sense of familiarity. Mark's gaze held a striking resemblance to JBs when he assessed a situation he hadn’t anticipated, or one he hadn’t approved of. An analytical gaze that was often disguised as softness when he had to keep up appearances. Mark was nothing like Jaebeom, but his aura had turned just as dangerous. There was a threat hidden beneath the persona.

Jinyoung felt his mouth run dry as the alarms in his mind changed into full blown sirens and his heart nearly thumped out of his chest. This wasn’t the Mark he had spoken to nearly everyday for the past week. This Mark was a completely different person. 

Finally noticing the lack of attention, Jackson dropped his arms as he glanced at Jinyoung's frozen frame. Turning slowly to see what Jinyoung was focused on, his shoulders tensed ten fold and his eyes narrowed with unmasked hatred. 

“Tuan.” His tone was acid, as though it disgusted him to speak the name. He moved his body to angle slightly in front of Jinyoung as though he were a shield.

Jinyoungs mind jumbled to grasp hold of the situation. It was clear that Jackson and Mark knew each other, but Jinyoung didn’t understand the hatred that rolled off of Jackson, nor the coldness in Mark's gaze.

“Wang.” Mark returned, keeping his tone pleasant as though he were playing host to a group of nobles. 

“What are you doing here?” Jackson hissed, his english flawless, eyes narrowing, and tone demanding. Jinyoung could feel the tension rise as Mark’s lips rose in sarcastic amusement. Jackson wasn’t asking what he was doing at the hospital, he was asking why he was in Korea.

Pieces of the puzzle slowly shifted together to form a staticy picture. Jinyoung felt blindsided as he wracked his brain for missing information. He had never heard Mark's last name but from Jackson's response he knew that it was a name he should have been made aware of. 

“Did Jay not tell you I was in Korea? You’re precious Jaebeom sure hired sorry help. Pitty.” Mark mocked in english as he spit out Jaebeoms name.

Jinyoungs blood turned to ice as the picture began to clear. Jay was who Jaebeom had sent to America to keep an eye on Yi En. Glancing at Jackson, his eyes traveled back to Mark who had yet to move his attention away from the threatening man. Was Jackson's reaction due to Mark being Yi En? It was the only plausible explanation. 

Jinyoung blinked. Had Mark approached him with prior knowledge that he was Jaebeoms underboss, or was it purely coincidental? No, it couldn’t be. Jinyoung didn’t believe in coincidences and it was too convenient to be anything but planned. 

Irritation grew as he continued to complete the puzzle. Jaeboem should have told him about Mark Tuan. He should have been informed of the Tuan's the moment he became Jaebeoms second in command.

“Respect the boss!” Jackson barked, voice loud enough to cause those around them to glance their way.

Jinyoung glanced around to the prying witnesses and placed a hand on Jackson's arm to calm him. They were in a public location and they had to be mindful of the ears around them. They couldn’t afford to draw unwanted attention and a display of aggression would only draw security.

“He’s not my boss.” A stony calmness had once again entered his tone, all emotion gone as he looked away from Jackson, effectively breaking the tension that had formed between them as his gaze shifted and settled on Jinyoung. He switched back to Korean as he addressed him. “It was really nice to see you again Jinyoung, but I have to get going. I’m still on the clock.”

Glancing between the two, Jackson squared his shoulders as though he were ready to pounce as he spoke to Jinyoung with familiarity. He hadn’t figured out that Mark and Jinyoung knew each other so anything less than respectful speech was unexceptable.

Tightening his grip on Jackson's arm, he pulled him back slightly to stand behind him. He didn’t need Jackson getting them kicked out of the hospital because he couldn’t control his temper. 

“I’m not sure I can return the sentiment.” 

Mark's smile was tender though it lacked any true emotion. 

“Well, next time we see each other hopefully we can have a conversation.” His eyes shifted to Jackson before returning to Jinyoungs. “Without any strays.”

“Like hell you will.” Jackson growled under his breath. Mark paid him no mind, keeping his focus solely on Jinyoung. He waited patiently for his answer.

Jinyoung wanted to tell him no, he couldn’t meet him again. He was clearly an enemy to Jaebeom and any enemy to his boss was an enemy to him. However, meeting Mark again would potentially answer questions he needed answers to. Answers to questions he wouldn’t be able to pry out of Jaebeom.

“Maybe.” Was the only answer he could give. He needed Jaebeom to fill in the missing pieces before he could offer a true answer. Knowing Jaebeom, he would want them to make contact again to confirm if Mark truly was the ghost.

Nodding in understanding, Mark shifted his gaze back to Jackson before stating something in Mandarin. Jinyoung glanced back to Jackson as he froze, his eyes widening slightly at whatever Mark had just said. 

Jinyoung cursed his lack of understanding to the foreign tongue. 

“Well then, I’ll be off. Goodbye Jinyoungie.” Jinyoung couldn’t help the burn of his ears at the nickname. Mark smiled at him softly before turning on his heels, stuffing his hands into the pocket of his white coat, and walking away. Jinyoung could only watch him go. 

“Jackson, what the fuck was that?” He hissed, dragging Jackson out of the hospital and away from prying ears. He dragged the man to his car and stood with his arms crossed over his chest as he waited for an explanation. Jackson refused to look him in the eye. “Answer me. Now.”

“Jaebeom said he wasn’t in korea, but there he was.” Jackson hissed, keeping his tone at a respectable volume as he addressed his underboss. His fists clenched by his sides. “Duàn Yi Ēn.”

So, he had been right. Shoving the recently discharged man into the front seat of his car, he cursed as he moved to the driver's seat. Hearing it confirmed only made things worse. He had developed a crush on the enemy. He had gone on a date with the enemy. He almost had sex with the enemy.

Jinyoung resisted the urge to hit his steering wheel as he put the car in drive. This is why Jaebeom should have told him. This is why he hated being left in the dark. Mark wasn’t just Jackson's enemy, he was the enemy of Jaebeom, of their family.

Fuck. They needed to go see Jaebeom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I rewrote this whole chapter today. I hope you guys like it. Some questions were answered, I think, but you probably have more. They'll be answered within the next 5 chapters, maybe... if things go as planned. 
> 
> Also, Not By the Moon is such a good song and DYE is a great album. The visuals are absolutely hypnotizing.


	17. A Traitor to the Family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NBTM_1st Win!!

Pulling up to Jaebeom's house, he rubbed his hand through his hair as he got out of the car. He was frustrated and bordering on pissed but he would have to keep his emotions in check. Jaebeom was under the impression that Yi En was still in America. He might not handle the new information well, and having three emotionally unstable men in one room was never a good combination.

He had asked Jackson what Mark had said to him at the hospital but the man just froze, his jaw clenched as he remained num. He refused to answer the question. 

They made their way to Jaebeom's office in record time and Jinyoung felt a distorted sense of dejavu as they ignored the staff in passing. The last time he had entered Jaebeom’s home in a foul mood had been after being cock blocked. 

Reaching the office, he knocked once before stepping in. Jackson closed the door behind them. They stood at the front of Jaebeom's desk and waited for the man to address them. Normally they would have started as soon as they entered, but things were different. This was too important for a lack of professionalism. 

They needed his full attention. 

“How are you feeling? I thought you wanted to go straight home.” Jaebeom asked Jackson. He hadn’t noticed the tension yet. He hadn’t even looked up. “You just missed Bambam. I know he’ll be happy to see you outside of hospital walls.”

“Yi En is back.” Jinyoung intervened. He watched closely as the gip on Jaebeom’s pen tightened, shoulders tensing before slowly relaxing.

“Define back?” Jaebeom leaned back in his chair, his eyes darkening drastically. His eyes held the same gaze Marks had an hour prior. It was nerve wracking how similar the two were. 

“He mentioned Jay so I assume Jay is lying to you and working for the Tuans, or...” Jackson stopped, but the implications were clear. Mark had probably killed Jay and somehow worked a way to send messages in his place. “Jinyoung called Momo to look into it. She hasn’t been able to reach Jay but she's contacting Kevin to confirm his location. I haven't been able to confirm how long Tuan has been here.”

Jinyoung watched carefully as Jaebeom's jaw clenched. The man was upset but holding back. Jinyoung couldn’t blame him. The man he had defended about the attacks was in Korea for an undisclosed amount of time without his knowledge.

Had Mark been telling the truth, Jinyoung was the only one who could answer the question.

“6 years.” Jinyoung offered. He kept his face void of emotion as two pairs of eyes snapped to him. He sat in the chair placed behind him as Jackson remained standing. “Assuming he told me the truth.”

“How do you know that?” Jaebeom asked, his question slow as he weighed his words. His eyes narrowing in skeptic consideration. He was gauging how accurate the information, and how much trust to place on his second in command.

“I met him a few weeks ago. He introduced himself as Mark and we've been in communication since.” _ We've also gone on a date and nearly fucked like rabbits. _ He thought it best to keep that bit to himself. “I didn’t tell him anything about the family, but he knows about my parents and my personal businesses.”

“What else did he tell you?” Jaebeom hissed through clenched teeth. The grip on his pen tightened until it bent, snapping in his hand. It wasn’t a question Jinyoung could get away from answering, not that he was going to try.

“He moved to Korea 6 years ago to attend Seoul University as a medical student. He graduated 3 years ago and has been working at Asan Medical Center since earlier this year.” Jinyoung waited for Jaebeoms eyes to flash in understanding. Mark attended Seoul University, meaning he could know Yugyeom. Jinyoung tried to hold back suspicion for the youngest member but it was hard to ignore. He couldn’t believe in coincidences. “Yugyeom and Mark have been friends for 2 years.”

Jaebeom dropped the pen, grabbing hold of his desk phone and dialing a number. He held the phone to his ear and waited before speaking. “Bring Yugyeom to my office. Now”

The phone was slammed down on the receiver causing Jinyoung and Jackson hold back a flinch at the sound. They were going to have to order him a new desk phone soon. 

“Was Yugyeom still on your radar?”

“I ordered Min to keep an eye on him.” Jaebeom grumbled, rubbing his hand across his face before running it through his hair. “She should be bringing him here shortly.”

Jinyoung's heart clenched in his chest. He had hoped the sudden change in Yugyeom was due to his schooling. He prayed that Yugyeom wasn’t a traitor to the family. Jaebeom wouldn’t go easy on him and Jinyoung didn’t have the power to protect him. 

“What are you planning on doing about Mark?” Jinyoung asked, watching as Jackson pulled his phone from his pocket as it vibrated. He excused himself as he answered the call, stepping away from them and closer to the door. 

Jaebeom watched him go before setting his eyes on Jinyoung. Now that Jaebeom was aware of Yi Ens return to Korea, Jinyoung wanted to know how he was planning on handling it. 

“Who are you assigning to watch him?” Jinyoung asked, rephrasing the question.

The only thing JB was probably thinking about was Yugyeom and the possible information he had given Mark should he be a traitor. Reaching out to his phone, he dialed a new number and allowed it to ring on speaker.

_ “Yes boss?" _ A feminine voice answered. 

“Hyeyeon, contact Yeji and have her keep tabs on Mark Tuan. He’s currently working at Asan Medical. Also, have Youngjae discharged and bring him here immediately.”

_ "Yes boss.” _

The phone clicked, signaling the end of the conversation. Jaebeom rubbed another hand through his hair as he leaned back in his seat. Jinyoung didn’t know what he could say to cause the man less stress. The only information he could offer was limited and he could offer no solutions that wouldn’t cause the other to lose his life immediately. It didn’t seem as though Jaebeom wanted him dead, just gone. 

Jinyoung needed to know what caused the strife. 

Jackson made his way back to them, sitting down in the chair next to Jinyoung. He sighed before relating the call. “That was Kevin. He made it to the safe house Jay had been staying at. Apparently a corpse was found hanging from the ceiling fan. He can't confirm who it is because of the decay, but suspects he was hung unwillingly since there were signs of a struggle and no chair in sight.”

Jackson kept his voice steady as he spoke. Jay worked with Taecyeon before moving to America. Jinyoung thought he had retired from the family, at least as retired as one could be without dying.

Realizing that Mark had something to do with his death was a splash of cold water. His initial instinct had been right, there was something off about the strange man whom he met at the park. Had he truly approached Jinyoung with the intent of getting to Jaebeom? Jinyoung couldn't deny the possibility. After all, Mark had probably killed a man. The blood of the Mafia ran through his veins.

“Jaebeom, I think it’s time you tell me the full story.”

Jackson tensed as Jaebeom snapped his attention to Jinyoung. He could read his bosses line of thought as clear as day. This wasn’t the right time, it could wait. Jinyoung begged to differ. Yi En was no longer a person of the past, but a threat of the present. He wouldn’t let this conversation go. Not this time.

“Your contact in America is dead and Mark has been feeding you lies for the past 6 years. It’s clear that he’s a threat and it’s clear that you would have found out he was in Korea sooner had you told me about him.”

He hadn’t meant to chastise Jaebeom, but he meant every word. Had Jaebeom or Jackson told him about their pasts before he joined the family they would have known about Yi En being in Korea as soon as he met him at the park. This could have been avoided. 

Primarily, Jinyoung wouldn’t have caught feelings. 

“He needs to know.” Jackson chimed in. He kept his eyes on Jaebeom before glancing briefly at Jinyoung. Jinyoung silently thanks him. Had it been up to Jackson, Jinyoung would have known about Mark since the hospital. “I think Tuan has an interest in him.”

Fucking Jackson. 

Jinyoung felt his eye twitch as Jaebeoms eyes narrowed in thought before a brow raised in question. He wanted details, and there were things that Jinyoung would prefer him not knowing. Sure, Jinyoung would share all of the information he had, but the feelings involved were no one's concern but his own. 

“In the time we met we became…” Jinyoung hesitated, finding the right word was a hassle. They weren't lovers, but they shared interests in one another. It wouldn't do him any good to admit to that. “friends.” 

Friends. They had been something more but as recognition flashed in Jaebeoms eyes, Jinyoung knew he would understand. At the moment he was probably realizing that Mark had been the ‘book’ he had been with the other night. 

Pitty crept in his gaze before it vanished. He wouldn’t press the subject. Jinyoung was grateful.

“Will you be able to keep being ‘friends’ with him?” Jaebeom held his hand up for air quotes around the word friend. He saw an opportunity to obtain information about Mark and he would take it. Jinyoung had already expected as much. “If he has interest he’ll try to contact you again and we need information.”

“On the condition that you tell me what I’m truly walking into. I’ve never seen Mark act as he did when he saw Jackson. I need to know, Jaebeom.”

Jaebeom nodded, leaning up in the chair and resting his chin on his laced fingers. He sent a short glance to Jackson before starting his story. 

“Yi En Tuan also known as Mark Tuan, son of Raymond and Dorine Tuan.

“Raymond had been there at the start of JYP, serving as the only advisor he trusted. They were always together. Yi En was our friend. He was only a year older than us so we spent a lot of time together while our parents handled business. I grew up with him. Around 10 years ago Dorine was killed. Raymond went ballistic, accusing JYP of killing his wife. In order to keep the family in line and as a last ditch effort to show his friend mercy, he banished Raymond and his family out of Korea. They settled in America and he expanded his own family there.

“8 years ago we got word that Raymond was killed, a hit by a gang in LA. That was when I started keeping tabs on Mark. Rumors of him taking over the family spread like wildfire. Since then, I've been getting updates of Mark's doings and whereabouts. Obviously Mark didn’t appreciate being watched.”

Jinyoung held his breath. His thoughts lingered on their date, how Mark spoke of his mother's death as though it were normal to lose a mother so young, and how he spoke of his father.

“Jaebeom, Mark came to America to get away from his father's abuse. He said his father went crazy after his mother's death and he fled to get away from him.”

Their stories weren’t adding up. Mark left America 6 years ago, and Jaebeom had said that Raymond died 8 years ago. If the man had been dead for as long as the rumors said then Mark had been in Korea longer then he said, or Raymond truly wasn’t dead.

“Then you know what you need to find out.”

Hopefully Mark would be as forthcoming with his life as he had been before Jinyoung knew who he was. From what Taecyeon said, Raymond fit the description perfectly and he had the motive if he blamed JYP for the death of his wife. 

“I know I should have told you sooner, but keep this in mind Jinyoung. He seems sweet and cheerful but he is mafia by blood. Mark Tuan is a very dangerous man, when he approaches you, be careful.”

Jinyoung nodded his head in understanding. He knew Mark wasn't someone to be taken lightly. He had seen the change and had felt the tension. Shit, Jinyoung wouldn’t enjoy this. He liked the older man and felt more interested knowing they were a part of the same world. He would have to work hard to keep his feelings from interrupting what he needed to do.

Jackson sighed, leaning back against the chair and rubbing his hand through his hair. He looked at Jinyoung, probably preparing to tell him to be careful, but a knock on the door halted him. 

Thinking it must be Min with Yugyeom, Jaebeom called for them to enter. He had a few questions for the younger man. They all did.

Min cracked the door before stepping into the threshold. She stood, hesitating in taking another step closer. Jinyoung raised a brow and Jaebeoms eyes turned dark upon realizing she was alone.

“Where the fuck is Yugyeom?” Jaebeom gritted out through clenched teeth. His eyes hardened when the girl's eyes dropped to the ground. 

Jinyoung nearly felt sorry for the girl but his focus was heavy on the missing man. Had Yugyeom truly betrayed them? Had he fled upon realizing Mark had been discovered? It wouldn’t make sense. He hadn’t run when he found out Jinyoung knew him. Had Mark told him to disappear?

“They’re gone.” Her voice was low, barely a whisper.

“What do you mean gone?” Jaebeom snapped. 

“What do you mean they?” Jinyoung followed up. Min had only been requested to bring in one, so who else was she referring to?

The girl flinched. She wasn’t used to being in the hot seat, and neither leader would lessen their aggression. She glanced up to Jackson who offered her an encouraging smile and nodded his head for her to continue. 

“Yugyeom disappeared after you called. I searched everywhere, school, the coffee shop, I even called Jisoo who said she hadn’t heard from Yugyeom in nearly two weeks.”

Jaebeoms brow twitched. If Yugyeom hadn’t been in contact with Jisoo then he hadn’t been following orders, and he hadn’t been trying to find out who the ghost was. 

Jinyoungs blood ran cold. Yugyeom was the traitor. He was a traitor to him, to Jaebeom, and a traitor to the family. 

“I figured Bambam would know where he was but was unable to contact him. I went by his apartment to see if Yugyeom was with him and found nothing.”

Jinyoung's jaw clenched and he could see Jackson doing the same through his peripheral vision. He prayed that Bambam wasn’t involved. His relationship to Jackson was closer than everyone else. His heart was already breaking at the news of the betrayal. 

He thought back to his interrogation of MBKs underboss and how Bambam had shot the man prematurely. Was that their task? Was that what Mark had ordered them to do? Was Mark trying to hide the true identity of the man who constantly stood against the family? His mind spun as answerless questions plagued his mind. 

“Their apartments have been cleared out like they were never there.”

“Fuck!” Jaebeom cursed, standing to his feet and slamming his hands down onto his desk. 

Jinyoungs mind went blank. Gone. They were gone. He blinked as he watched Jaebeom rage. He wouldn’t attempt to sooth the beast. 

Yugyeom and Bambam were gone.

They had both betrayed the family.

They were now enemies. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As a congrats to the boys first win I have decided to upload this chapter. Sadly, I don't know which direction to go with the next chapter so I am going to ask for opinions before deciding. Would you guys like background stories on how each member joined JYP? I touched on Jackson a little last chapter so he would be first, and you already know Jinyoungs story. I'm just not sure if you guys would be interested. 
> 
> Let me know :)


	18. Jackson Wang

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I felt inspired and it's a long one.  
> Be mindful that this chapter has kiddy Mark, Kiddy JB, Kiddy Jackson and loads of Angst.  
> Enjoy~

The ride to Jackson’s house had been somber. No words had been spoken since they left. He had considered staying at their leader's house until Youngjae arrived, but Jackson had silently left to sit in his car. Jinyoung had hesitated in leaving Jaebeom in his sorrow as the rage cooled off but he knew the other well. Jaebeom needed time to process and prepare for the injured man's arrival. Youngjae would be heartbroken when he found out, but he and Jaebeom would offer the comfort only they could. 

Jackson was also heart broken. Jinyoung could hear the man's heart scream as he kept his head lowered, gaze focused on his lap as Jinyoung had driven. It was a relatable feeling. Jinyoung felt the same way.

They sat on opposite ends of the couch, silently, lost in their own thoughts as they stared at the black screen of Jacksons TV. The man hadn’t wanted to be alone, silently asking for Jinyoung to stay, and Jinyoung couldn’t deny the man the small form of comfort. The remote laid lost somewhere between them.

“It sucks,” Jackson spoke, breaking the silence that had settled around them. “That I’m glad I didn’t completely trust them.”

Jinyoung kept his eyes focused on the blank screen as the other spoke. He wasn’t known for being at a loss for words but he didn’t know what words he could offer. Jackson struggled with trust, they had learned that a long time ago. It's what he believed kept him alive.

“That makes 4 people I trusted that ultimately betrayed me.”

Turning his gaze to Jackson, he tilted his head as the other quickly lowered his gaze. Bambam had latched onto Jackson as soon as he joined them. Everywhere Jackson went, Bambam followed. It was strange how quickly Jackson had accepted the younger man, but no one questioned it. He didn’t treat Bambam like he had treated Jinyoung and Jaebeom, but he was a step ahead of Youngjae and Yugyeom.

“There may be a reason.” Jinyoung offered. He couldn’t think of any, but he hoped it was more complicated than simple betrayal.

Jackson scoffed. He shook his head as he finally raised his eyes to meet Jinyoungs gaze. “There is no reason that I’ll accept. They betrayed the family. They betrayed me.”

Jinyoung could feel the anger in the other rise with every english word that slipped through Jackson's lips. He had a habit of mixing languages when upset, or distraught. When he was beyond the point of sensibility he spoke straight Cantonese. It was hard to calm him down at that point. 

"First it was that fucker, then it was Yi En, now it's Yugyeom and Bambam." Jinyoung watched as Jackson's eyes glistened. Unscheduled tears forming at the corners of his eyes. Jinyoung heart ached as he slid closer to the man, pulling him into his arms as he felt the first tears drop damped his shirt. "I promised that I would never trust anyone enough to feel this way."

Jinyoung sat quietly, rumbling soothing circles on the others back. It wasn't common knowledge, but Jackson was the most sensitive of them all. 

He silently prayed that the normally happy man would never have to feel a similar pain again. 

###

_13 Years ago_

Jackson sighed, kicking his feet harder on the swing in attempts to go higher than he ever had before. He swung alone, not that he had expected anything different. It was a week before his 12th birthday and he had yet to make a single friend since moving to Korea. 

His parents said he would have at least 3 after a week at his new school, but they had lied. Korean kids didn’t like foreigners that hardly understood their language, and not one of them spoke enough english to understand him. After a month at his new school he was just happy they had stopped picking on him.

Looking up to the setting sun, he figured he should head home before his mom worried, or his father came looking for him. He kicked his feet as hard as he could as he jumped off the swing. His legs wobbled as he landed before he toppled over. His legs sustained the landing but his ankle twisted at the pressure. 

“Hey, are you okay?” A voice called. 

Jackson’s head snapped to the side as a hand grabbed onto his arm, helping him up. The boy looked around his age, kind with brown eyes and a worried gaze. His hair was pitch black and his school uniform was different from his own. They went to different schools, it was probably the reason Jackson hadn’t seen him before. All of the kids in his neighborhood went to his school. 

“I’m okay, thank you.” He answered cautiously, allowing the other to dust the dirt off of his jeans. He bit his lip as he waited for the boy to pick up on what all the others had. Most kids ran from him after hearing his accent, some laughed. He wondered what this boy's reaction would be. 

“Are you a foreigner?” The boy asked, finishing his dusting and standing straight, pursing his lips in confusion as his head tilted to the side. 

“I’m from China.” He answered. His eyes lowered as he fingered the sleeve of his shirt. For the kids who managed to ignore his accent, they fled when he told them this. Being of Chinese descent was a stigma in Korea. Jackson had experienced it first hand. He had never felt bad for being from China, but sometimes the laughter caused him to regret his heritage. “From Hong Kong.”

“That’s cool, I’ve never been to Hong Kong. What’s your first language?” 

Jackson blinked, eyes rising to meet the curious gaze of the other boy. Was he being serious? Had he seriously taken an interest in him? This wasn’t some drawn out prank was it? Jackson really hoped not. He really wanted a friend. 

“Cantonese, but I speak Mandarin and a little English.”

The other kid grinned, his eyes sparking as he stood a little taller. Jackson recognized the look as pride but he had no idea what had caused it. “I speak Mandarin and English, if you feel more comfortable speaking in either language.”

Jackson's eyes widened in surprise as the other boy spoke in fluent Mandarin. He hadn’t heard the language since moving to Korea and it sounded absolutely beautiful to his ears. He could feel his eyes water. He missed Hong Kong so much. 

“Wait!” The kid panicked, pulling him into a hug and patting his back before slightly pulling away to look at his face. “Why are you crying? Did I do something wrong?”

“Yah! Mark, did you make the kid cry?”

Jackson sniffed as another voice scolded. Looking up and wiping at his eyes, he found another boy making his way to them. His eyes were hard as he sent an uninterested look to Jackson before setting his gaze on the boy he called Mark. It was obvious they were friends. Mark rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly and his smile was small.

“I don't know. He just started crying.” Mark looked back to Jackson, wiping the crying boys tears as they continued to fall. “Please stop crying. Why are you crying?”

Jackson sniffled, straightening his back and looking at the unfamiliar face that was now looking at him in confusion as Mark spoke to him in Mandarin. Mark looked like a foreigner, the other didn’t. His gaze also seemed more serious, less warm than Marks. 

“Kid, did Mark make you cry?” He asked, taking a closer step and sticking his hands in his pocket as he waited for an answer. Mark glared at the stranger before putting an arm over Jacksons shoulders in a friendly manner, pulling him close as though they had known each other for more than a few minutes. 

“Of course I didn’t. We’re friends, right?” He hesitated saying friends before sending a hopeful smile to Jackson. 

The boy was strange. He didn’t know Jackson's name but had called him a friend. He shouldn't be elated, but after 3 friendless weeks he was willing to become friends with anyone. Even the strange boy and his even stranger friend.

“Yeah? Then what’s his name?” The other asked, gaze skeptically as he called Mark's bluff. 

Silence settled between the three as Mark's arm slowly dropped from around his shoulders. Jackson held his breath as they both turned to look at him. Was he about to lose a potential friend?

“Hi, my name is Mark Tuan, and that over there is Jaebeom Im.” Mark pointed to the cold boy behind him. “What’s your name?”

Jackson blinked owlishly at the introduction. Mark and Jaebeom. He was confused with the turn of events but he wouldn’t complain. Another foreigner and a Korean wasn’t a bad set of friends. “Wáng Ka-yee, or Jackson Wang. I go by Jackson.”

Mark’s smile shined, causing Jaebeom to roll his eyes, a soft smile on his lips as he crossed his arms over his chest. Jaebeom looked nicer now that introductions had been made. Jackson thought the small smile looked nice on him.

“Now that we’re friends, do you want to play with us?” Mark asked, hope sparkling in his eyes. Jaebeom moved to stand beside him, brow raised as he waited for the response. 

Jackson looked to the sun, the sky was orange, the sun was almost set. He would have loved to play with his new friends but he couldn’t afford to. His mom really didn’t like him playing outside when the sun wasn’t out. “I can’t. I have to go home when the sun goes down.”

Mark pouted, wincing as Jaebeom hit him in the back of the head. “See, I told you that you should have asked him sooner!” 

“How was I supposed to know?” Mark whined, rubbing his head. "It's not like we have a curfew!"

“Sooner?” Jackson questioned. The others froze, their bickering stopping completely as Mark's face flushed red. 

“Yeah.” Mark kicked the dirt under his shoe and sent a hesitant glance to Jaebeom.

“We saw you playing by yourself a few weeks ago. Mark was just too shy to come say hey.” Jaebeom supplied, smirking smugly as he crossed his arms over his chest. 

“That’s not how it was!” Mark denied. The bickering between the two continued and Jackson chuckled at their antics. They were funny.

“Well, I should probably get going. It’s starting to get dark.”

“We should probably go. Come on Mark, dad should be done.” Jaebeom wrapped a hand around Marks, sending a quick nod to Jackson and starting to drag the other boy away.

“We’ll see you tomorrow Jackson!” Mark called, allowing himself to be pulled until he turned, running ahead of Jaebeom and pulling the other instead. 

Jackson watched them go. Smiling brightly as he turned to run home. He had told his parents of the two boys as soon as he kicked his shoes off and they had been proud of him. His mom had giggled with him as he told them about their bickering, and his dad smiled as he told them he would see them tomorrow. 

And he had. He had seen them everyday after school for almost a full week. Every time he entered the park they were already waiting for him. Other kids in the neighborhood were stunned to see him with friends but Jackson didn’t care. Mark would wave him over and Jaebeom always had fun games to play. It was fun when Jaebeom lost to Mark. He seemed to be good at every game they played and Jaebeom was a sore loser. 

They weren’t from the neighborhood, but Jaebeoms dad tended to have business in the area so Mark tagged along to keep him company. That was when they first noticed Jackson. Mark didn’t like how Jackson always sat on the swing alone. He didn’t like how lonely Jackson seemed. Jaebeom only followed his lead. 

Two days before his birthday, he asked if they wanted to celebrate at his house. His mom had said it was okay to invite his friends over for a slumber party if they wished to stay the night. Mark had been ecstatic, agreeing as soon as the question left his mouth. Jaebeom was a little more hesitant. He wanted to stay, but he didn’t know if his father would approve. Mark only shrugged it off, promising that it would work out. He trusted Jackson, they were friends, so their parents would allow it. 

On the day before his birthday, his mother received a call from Mark’s dad. Both boys were allowed to spend the night, and would be dropped off after school. 

Jackson had been elated. Nothing could stop him from bouncing in his seat as he worked on his homework. Only a day left until his birthday and he would celebrate it the way he wanted to. Nothing would ruin his day.

“Jackson, will you go to the store and buy some lemons?” His mom asked as he stuffed his notebook in his bag. She was in the middle of cooking them dinner. Jackson could smell the food as it boiled on the stove. He licked his lips in anticipation. 

“Okay, mom.” Nodding his head, he grabbed the money from his mom and kissed her on the cheek as he headed out. It was nice out, the sun had yet to set. He ran to the store, using up all of his access energy as he smiled at the store workers. They greeted him with a smile as they normally did as he made his way down the aisle to the lemons. The workers had always been kind to him. 

“Jackson, what brings you here today?” An older man questioned, pushing his own shopping cart down the same aisle. He was a regular at the shop as well. Jackson always ran into him. The man was friendly, often asking how he was faring in a new country and asking about his parents. He was the first Korean to extend a hand of kindness to him.

“Hi, old man Lee” The man was older, but Jackson considered him a friend. He smiled at the man as he picked up some lemons, placing them in a small plastic bag. “Mom needs lemons.”

“Such a good boy.” The man hummed, taking note of the lemons and smiling a small smile. “You’ve come a little later than you normally do. Are you going to be okay walking home? The sun has already set.”

Jackson's eyes widened, turning to look out of the store window. Old man Lee was right, the sun had set. Street lights lit up the path but Jackson was a little scared to walk home. Creepy people were out when the sun went down. 

He bit his lip, shifting his weight between legs as he weighed his options. He could ask the cashier to call his mom to come get him, or he could run home. Calling his mom seemed like the better option.

“If you’d like, I'll walk you home.” Old man Lee offered. 

Jackson eyed the man, feeling relief at the thought of not having to walk home alone. “Thanks, old man Lee.”

Smiling in appreciation, he headed to the register. The cashier smiled at him, reaching over to ruffle his hair before passing him a sucker. She was always kind to Jackson too. Most adults in the neighborhood were. It was the kids that were mean. 

Looking to make sure old man Lee was with him, he headed home. The man followed closely behind as Jackson walked, taking care to walk quickly as the shadows of the alleyways scared him. He made it to his home's gate in record time and turned to thank the old man, but was confused to find the man was no longer with him. 

Strange. He must have lost the man somewhere on their walk home and he hadn’t noticed. Shrugging, Jackson didn’t really care. He was safe and in the comfort of his own home. Kicking off his shoes, he ran into the kitchen. His mother's smiling face greeted him as he passed her the bag of lemons.

“Dinner is ready.” His mother said, rubbing her hand through his hair and placing a kiss on his forehead in appreciation. 

“Yes!” He cheered, running to give his father a hug in greeting before taking his own seat at the kitchen table. Dinner smelled delicious and it looked good too. His mother was the world's greatest cook. He couldn’t wait for Mark and Jaebeom to taste her cooking. 

“How was school today, Jackson?” His father asked, grabbing his own plate to grab some food. 

“It was good. We watched a movie in class today since our homeroom teacher was out.” Jackson answered, bouncing in his seat as his mother passed him a plate. He waited no time as he dug in. “I think we’re finishing tomorrow.”

“Lucky you.” His mother chuckled, wiping away a grain of rice from the corner of her son's lips. “You get to spend your birthday watching a movie.”

Jackson beamed, sitting up straight as he marveled in his parents attention. Since they had moved to Korea his father had been working extra hours. Family dinners had become rare as his father was often too tired to do anything other than sleep when he arrived home. Most of the time Jackson was already tucked into bed. 

“I am. Are you going to make me a cake tomorrow? I told Mark and JB that you make the best cakes!” 

“If that’s what the birthday boy wants.”

He did. He would make sure to get everything he wanted on his 12th birthday. It would be the best birthday he had ever had, he would make sure of it. Jackson's happiness lasted until it was time for bed. He grinned as his mother placed a kiss on his forehead, and his father's kiss followed closely behind. For the first time since moving to Korea he was truly happy. He had fallen asleep with a smile on his lips.

##

“Jackson, Jackson, baby wake up.”

Jackson groaned as he was shaken awake. Harsh whispers of Cantonese met his ears as his eyes blinked open. He struggled to focus on his mother who frantically shook him awake. Muffled sounds and a vase breaking woke him completely, eyes wide as he sat up in his bed. He struggled to grasp what was happening. 

“Mom?” He whispered, eyes wide as he wrapped his arms around his mother's neck. 

“Sweetie, I need you to do something for me. Okay?” She brushed the hair out of her son's face before lifting him out of the bed. Jackson held on tight as she walked him to the window. She sat him on the windowsill, opening the window behind him. She grabbed a hoodie from his desk chair and pulled it over his head before quickly putting socks on his feet.

He allowed her to dress him with shaking hands. She was noticeably scared, her eyes red with tears as she moved quickly. Jackson cupped her face, placing a kiss on her cheek to calm her. She only smiled in response. 

It was stiff. 

“I need for you to sit outside, okay? Can you do that?” She turned to look at the bedroom door as the crashing sounds got louder. Yells could be heard and Jackson could have sworn he heard his father's voice.

Reaching up to wipe the tears from his mother's eyes he nodded. Quickly, he moved out of the window, sitting on a small ledge. It wasn’t noticeable from the street and Jackson often hid there when playing hide and seek with his mother. She hadn’t been able to find him the first time he had done it. 

“Good boy.” She kissed his forehead as a blood curdling scream rang through their home. She turned to look at the door again, her breathing picking up and her eyes widening before giving him a shaky kiss and watching him settle comfortably outside. “Don’t come inside for anything. Do you understand?

Jackson nodded, holding back his tears as fear took hold of him. His heart was pounding heavily in his chest. His parents were in danger, and his dad was probably already fighting them off. 

“I love you, Wáng Ka-yee. Don’t you ever forget that.”

“I love you too, mom.” 

The woman looked at him only a moment longer before she closed the window and disappeared from his sight. 

He watched as she closed the door behind her before leaning against the wall of his home. More banging and a new scream sounded as Jackson pulled his knees to his chest, hugging them close and clenching his eyes shut to keep the tears from falling. He was terrified as he recognised his mother's shrill scream but he stayed still. He could hear her pleading with them to stop as they tortured her and Jackson struggled to stay put. He had promised his mother he wouldn’t move so he wouldn’t. He wouldn’t go to her aid, he wouldn’t go see where his father was. He would stay and listen as his mother's screams intensified. 

Why was this happening to them? Was it a home invasion? Did they want their money? Jackson didn’t understand what had caused this to happen. Minutes felt like hours as silence finally settled. His mother's screams had finally stopped, as had the banging. Letting go of his knees, Jackson waited a moment longer before leaning up to his window and carefully looking in. Two men stood in his room, one digging through his closet and the other looking under his bed. 

Jackson's heart stopped and his breath was caught in his throat as he recognised old man Lee instructing the other man to look through his closet. Ducking his head and crawling farther on the ledge, he entered a small creves he had found a week ago. He would make sure they didn’t find him. If they looked out of the window they wouldn’t see him unless they knew where to look, but he had a partial view of them. 

A sick sense of betrayal flooded Jackson’s veins as he realized what was happening. Lee, the kind man from the store, had gained Jacksons trust to find out where he lived. He had done something to his parents, and now they were looking for him. Jackson hated himself for ever trusting the man. Had he never trusted the man then this wouldn’t be happening.

“Shit, you really can’t find the boy?” Old man Lee hissed. The window slid open and he stuck his head out. He looked both ways, eyeing the small crevice Jackson hid in before turning to look away. “Was the bitch telling the truth?”

Jackson flinched at the language. He didn’t like his mother being called a bitch but he held his anger back. His life was in danger. He couldn’t let them get to him.

“Just forget about him. We did what we came here for. Boss won't care if the boy gets away.” A voice from inside his room called. “We gotta go!”

Lee spared one last peak out of the window before moving away. 

Jackson released a breath as he listened carefully for any signs of movement in his home. He couldn’t hear anything. He couldn’t confirm if the men left so he waited a little longer before leaving his hiding place. He wouldn’t leave until he was absolutely sure. 

Shivering as a cool breeze blew past him, Jackson crawled from his crevasse and crawled to the windowsill. He peeked inside to find his room completely trashed. His closet had been completely emptied and his mattress had been flipped off of it’s frame. 

Slowly opening the window, Jackson climbed inside. His heart thumped heavily in his chest as he put on a pair of slippers. Glass was glittered on his floor. Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, he slowly stuck his head out into the hallway. It was eerily quiet and Jackson felt his eye prickle with tears before he wiped them away. He would be brave. He had no other choice. 

Moving into the hallway, his eyes burned as he followed the path of blood. Dropps laid splattered on the hardwood floor and stays of it decorated their once white walls. It was like a scene from a horror film as he slowly made his way down the stairs, being mindful of the creaks in case he wasn’t alone.

Peeking his head into the living room. His gasped as his heart stopped, tears falling from his eyes as they landed on his father. Beaten, bloody, and bruised, he laid motionless on the floor. 

Uncaring of the blood that surrounded him, Jackson ran to his father, dropping to his knees as he rolled him over. His breathing became labored as he looked at his father's pale face, his lips blue. His eyes were open but his chest wasn’t moving. Jackson held back a pained cry as he cupped his father's cheek. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath as he placed his forehead on his fathers. He said a silent prayer, the same prayer his mother had taught him when his grandmother had died.

His father was dead. He would never ask how his school day was again. Jackson let the tears fall as he fought from breaking down. 

He had found his father but he still needed to find his mother. 

Standing on wobbly feet, he turned in search of his mother. She wasn’t downstairs. The kitchen was empty, though knives and plates had clearly been thrown, and the bathroom hadn’t been touched. Walking back upstairs, he hesitantly made his way to the only other room in the house. He took a deep breath as he stood in front of his parents room, his eyes clenched as he pushed the door open. He silently counted to ten before opening his eyes. 

A strangled cry left his lips as his eyes landed on his mother. Blood lined the walls of the bedroom and her body laid, clothes torn, broken on the bedroom floor. She had been beaten, bruises decorated her face and Jackson fell to his knees at the door. He couldn’t step any closer. 

“Mommy, mom, please wake up.” He begged. He knew it wouldn’t change anything but he hoped. He hoped it was all a dream, a giant prank. A cruel joke to congratulate him on finally turning 12. This was his special day, a day he was supposed to remember. So why wasn’t his mother waking up to tell him that he did well, and why hadn’t his father wished him a happy birthday? “Please open your eyes!”

He crawled back, away from the sight of his broken mom, his back hitting the wall. He pulled his knees up to his chest and held them tight. Tears continued to fall as he cried out loud. This was a dream, it had to be a dream. Burying his face into his knees, he prayed to the Gods that this was a nightmare. 

He didn’t know how long he sat there crying, but as the sun began to rise and his tears had dried, he knew it had been hours. He no longer had tears left to cry. His body felt numb as he sat, chin resting on his knees as he stared at his mother's body. If he hadn’t trusted that man then his parents would still be alive. His father wouldn’t be laying in the living room with a hole in his stomach, and his mother wouldn’t be lying battered on her bedroom floor. 

All of this was because he trusted someone. Jackson made a silent promise to never trust anyone again. He never wanted to feel this pain again. 

The shrill ringing of the phone sounded through the house and Jackson wondered idly if it was his school calling to check on his whereabouts. He didn’t know why they cared. They didn’t like him. No one at that school liked him. It was fine though, he didn’t like them and he would never trust them enough to care anyway. 

He should have died with his parents. He shouldn’t have listened to his mother. 

Tears streamed down Jacksons cheeks but he wiped them away. His head throbbed and his heart hurt. He thought he had no tears left to cry. He felt nauseous. Closing his eyes, he allowed his exhaustion to take over. Maybe he could sleep for an eternity.

“Jackson! Jackson are you there?” A voice yelled to him, breaking Jackson's fitful slumber. 

He woke slowly, tilting his head to the stairs leading downstairs. The voice sounded familiar but in his haze he couldn’t place it. He could hear his front door opening.

“Jackson?!” a panicked voice called. “Dad! Dad come quick!” 

Jaebeom? That's who it sounded like, but it was different from the first voice. It must have been Marks voice that woke him. Jackson kept his eyes focused on the steps. It was only a matter of time before someone found him. 

He listened as two new voices sounded in his home, instructing the boys to stay outside as they looked for their friend. He could hear them in the living room, checking on his dead father, cursing loudly as they probably checked and couldn’t find a pulse. 

The stairs creaked as a man walked up them. Jackson didn’t recognize him but he assumed he was either Mark or JB’s dad. He had never seen him before. 

He scooted away from the man as he stood in front of him. The man's eyes were sad, filled with pity. Jackson hated the look. He didn’t ask for pity from this stranger. He wanted him gone and out of his house. 

“Jackson, my name is Park Jinyoung. I’m Jaebeoms adoptive father.” The man started, leaning down to meet Jacksons gaze. “You had us worried.”

His tone was soft, almost comforting. Jackson wanted the man to go away. He didn’t trust this man. He would never trust this man. “Go away.”

The man sighed. “I can’t do that. I have two boys downstairs deeply worried about their friend.”

“I’m fine.” He hissed, glaring as the man's eyes took on a calculated gaze. Jackson didn’t like the look. It made him uncomfortable.

“You’re not. You’ve just been through a traumatic experience.” Park's voice was firm as he spoke. “Jaebeom would never forgive me if I left you here.”

“Tell them I’m okay.”

A new man made their way up the steps, possibly Marks father. Park sent a glance at the man before returning his gaze back to Jackson.

“I can’t do that. I can’t lie to my boy like that.” He responded. 

Jackson turned his gaze to the older man, glare firm on his face as hatred welled up in his chest. “If you can’t help me bring my parents back then get out!”

The hiss in his voice was new but he welcomed it. This man was a liar. He had probably lied to Jaebeom multiple times. No adult was trustworthy. 

“I can’t bring your parents back but I can promise an alternative.” Mr. Park spoke slowly. “Come stay with me.”

“What?” He questioned, dumbfounded. What was the man talking about? An alternative? Staying with him? “I don’t trust you!” 

“I know you don’t trust me, but I know you trust the boys. I’ll give you a bed, a warm meal, and a roof over your head.” He started, his eyes glistening with an emotion Jackson couldn’t understand. It reminded him irily of the interest Mark had when he had spoken to him for the first time, and of the interest Jaebeom showed when they played a new game that he was good at. “And when you’re a little older, we may be able to avenge your parents.”

Jackson blinked as he registered what the man had said. He looked passed the man, to his mother's broken body. “I don’t trust you.”

Park looked at Mark's dad before smiling at Jackson with his hand outstretched. “You don’t have too. All you have to do is trust, and be loyal to Mark and Jaebeom and I’ll help you live.”

All he had to do was trust and be loyal to Mark and Jaebeom? It was an easy deal since they were the only two people on the planet that he trusted. Park had ulterior motives, but he didn’t care. If this man sitting in front of him could promise the people who did this to his parents would reach the same fate they had then he would take it. 

Reaching out a hand to grasp the hand stretched in front of him, Jackson would go with the man. He would be loyal to his friends until he could no longer breath.

A few years later, when Jackson was older and had come to serve under the man who offered him life, he had asked JYP why he took him in. The man had answered that he saw there was fire in his eyes, that the flame would help him remain loyal to his son when it was his turn to head the family. Jaebeom needed someone who would have his back for the rest of his life. 

JYP had only asked for Jackson to extend that loyalty when Jinyoung was taken in. 

It was a decision Jackson would never regret.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you who are waiting anxiously, the next chapter is Markjin. :D


	19. Answered Questions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while. Sorry about it. I had the chapter planned but no inspiration to write it, and when I finally sat down to write it I had to stop half way due to circumstances.

_“Are you sure Jackson is going to be okay?”_

Jinyoung sighed, leaning back against the park bench with his phone pressed against his ear. No, at the moment he didn’t think Jackson was going to be okay. To any outsider it would appear that he was fine, but Jinyoung knew him well, as did Youngjae. The younger man was just as worried as he was. 

“He’ll manage somehow. He always does. I’m more worried about JB.”

Their leader had tightened his reigns. The means of discipline had increased to near torture and he offered no forgiveness. After 2 weeks they had already flushed out 7 men supposedly working for other families and those families had been effectively cut off, or cut down. 

The tongues of the traitors were cut out and sent to their respective families. 

_“He’s-_ ” Youngjae halted as he rearranged himself. Jinyoung could hear the typing of keys. “ _He’s dealing with it the only way he knows how.”_

Meaning he was burying himself in his tasks at hand. Jinyoung wasn’t surprised. JB didn’t handle his emotions, he disregarded them. He had been taught to lead the family with a firm fist by his predecessor and he had always managed to do so. The only times he truly showed emotions was when in front of his most trusted men, and that had dropped to 3.

“Has Jihyo had any luck on locating the boys?”

Yugyeom and Bambams disappearance had caused a rift in the family. Many Capos questioned the judgment of JB. Jinyoung had offered to handle them but JB had turned him down. He would send Jackson to reaffirm their loyalty to him and should they waiver he was to have them replaced. 

So far they remained loyal.

_“None. It’s like they dropped off of the face of the earth. Tzuyu hasn’t been able to find Yeji either. JB wants to call the search off but Ryujin begged him for more time.”_

Yeji had called them claiming that Mark was no longer working for the hospital, but she had eyes on him. She had disappeared shortly after the call ended. Her team members had been distraught, she was their team leader, but JB could only do so much for them. While Tzuyu was looking for Yeji, Jinyoung had been instructed to find Mark. 

He hadn’t had any luck.

“And you?” He looked up to the sky, looking at the stars as a cool breeze ruffled his hair. It had been a long time since he had last been able to visit the park. 

_“Managing. I’ve been able to find out Mark’s school records and records from the hospital but not much else. Most of it is fake or off the record. Even the money used to pay for school is linked to a fake account. I’m hopeful I’ll be able to find something with a name search in America's system.”_

“And his father?”

_“Nothing but a death certificate. It’s strange how both seem to be nonexistent.”_

That was because they needed to be off the grid. Raymond for his Mafia job, and Mark in order to disappear from his father. 

He considered asking Youngjae to do a search on the name Yien Tuan but decided against it. From what Jackson had said, Yien was what the mafia world knew Mark by. He wouldn't be known as Yien Tuan in the system. It was one of the reason Jackson no longer wanted to call him Mark. He claimed they had lost their familiarity the day he left for America. 

“Thanks Jae, keep me posted.”

He ended the call, dropping his phone onto his lap and rubbing his hand through his hair. He was frustrated. He had hoped Mark would have shown himself sooner but the man had disappeared. He had asked staff from both Seoul and Asan but they barely knew the man- other than the fact that he was a charming man who was kind to everyone. 

Jinyoung already knew how charming the man could be. 

“Funny meeting you here.” 

A familiar voice called from behind him. Jinyoung blinked out of his thoughts as he turned to watch the dark haired man approach him. Irritation rose through his veins. The Tuan family had thoroughly disrupted his life. 

“I should shoot you through the skull.” He offered in greeting as the other sat beside him. It reminded him irily of their first meeting. Mark carried a plastic bag. 

“You could, but then you wouldn’t get the information JB wants.”

Jinyoung scoffed. The man was right. He couldn’t shoot Mark. There were too many unanswered questions surrounding their family that they needed answers to. Either Mark or his father had orchestrated the attacks on them. Mark was the only one who could provide the answer. 

“What are you doing here?” 

Mark regarded him, wondering how he should answer that question. Amusement lingered in his eyes but his small smile stayed stale. There was no emotion behind it, a fake smile. 

“I was having withdrawals. It’s been 2 weeks, I needed another fix.”

Jinyoung would have flushed had he not known the threat Mark possessed. His aura was no longer as laid back as it once was, though his voice had done little to uncover his edge. 

Rubbing his hand through his hair, he watched silently as Mark ruffled through his bag. A pack of cigarettes and chocolate turtle was pulled out. Jinyoung raised a brow. He had never seen Mark smoke. 

“Here,” Mark offered, passing him an unlit cigarette. “I know you smoke when you’re stressed.”

Jinyoung eyed the stick before eyeing the man who offered it. Against his better judgment, he snatched the cigarette from the other grasp and stuck it between his lips. He moved to grab his lighter only for Mark to hold his up first. He sent another glance to the American before using his light. 

“How long have Yugyeom and Bambam been your men?” He questioned, taking a drag of his cigarette before releasing the air. 

Mark scoffed. “Men? I don’t have men.”

“Then what are they to you?” Jinyoung kept his gaze locked on the man, his tone even. He wasn’t sure what Mark would be willing to answer so he would ask the simpler questions first. 

“Friends.” Mark returned the gaze. The pressure was nerve wracking. This man was nothing like the man he had met but the interest remained the same. “I’m not my father and I have no ties to the Tuan family. Yugyeom and Bambam are simply friends. We have a long history.” 

“Friends that you let infiltrate a Mafia family.” Jinyoung raised a brow in question.

“They were doing me a favor.” Mark blinked, moving to unwrap his ice cream bar. His voice was low as he spoke, almost soft. Jinyoung didn’t know if he could fully trust the man.

“Why?” Tilting his head as he waited for an answer, he watched as Mark released a heavy sigh. He looked frustrated as he ran a hand through his hair. Jinyoung had never seen him like this.

“I needed for them to keep an eye out for my dad. I figured if he came back to Korea then the first thing he would do is avenge my mom.” 

“Then your father is alive?”

Mark froze, ice cream bar half way in his mouth. He slowly removed the bar before laughing outright. It was loud, filled with amusement. “Shit, JB really doesn’t know anything. There are so many other things you could ask me but that's what you want to know?”

Jinyoung watched as the other laughed. The sound didn’t sound completely true. It was sardonic. Jinyoung felt goosebumps at the sound. 

“I’ll tell you this once, Park Jinyoung.” His laughter died abruptly, a small frown on his lips. “Raymond Tuan is still very much alive.”

Then their suspicions were confirmed. Jaebeom would be pleased. Mark, though he had sent spies into their ranks, was innocent. Jinyoung felt his heart flutter at the thought.

“Don’t look too happy. He’s a hard man to find and even harder to get away from.” Mark grumbled, taking a bite of his bar. 

“You can help us.”

Mark eyed him before rolling his eyes. Jinyoung would take that as a no. He didn’t know why he refused to work with JB. Mark wasn’t their enemy, his father was.

“You’re cute, but I’d rather move back to that hell hole in America. I may not have planned the attacks, but JYP is still responsible for my mother's death, the comradery between us died the day my mother did.”

Then Mark blamed the family for his mother's death. Jinyoung took another drag from his cigarette as he turned to face forward. He glanced up to the sky as Mark continued eating his bar. Was JYP responsible for Dorines death? Jinyoung wouldn’t be surprised if he was. JYP was willing to do anything for power, and if getting rid of his closest companions wife would help achieve that then so be it. 

It would explain why Mark held hatred for Jackson and JB, but it didn’t explain Jackson's hatred towards him.

He needed to know what happened.

“I can see your gears turning but I’ll only answer two more questions.” Mark glanced to his watch before eyeing Jinyoung, his eyes once again sparkling with amusement. Jinyoung idly wondered why the man always found him so amusing. “I’ve already given you enough.”

“What did you tell Jackson that day at the hospital?”

Mark's eyes grew dull. He had probably expected Jinyoung to ask something more personal, maybe about his mother. Jinyoung would save the questions. He needed to sort through what he had already found out. 

"Did Jackson not tell you?" Mark asked, tilting his head as he waited for the answer.

"I didn't ask him."

Jinyoung blinked, watching as Mark leaned back against the back of the bench, continuing to eat his ice cream. 

“I told him that I found the man responsible for his parents death. Old Man Lee, I think that's what Jackson used to call him.”

“JYP killed him years ago.”

“No, he didn’t.” Mark sighed, finishing his ice cream and sticking the trash back in the bag. “JYP lied about a lot of things. Jackson is loyal to a fault and he needed to keep it that way.”

Jinyoung gulped, his stomach dropped as his head rang with denials. That wasn’t true, it couldn’t be. Jackson had told him that the only reason he had joined the family was so that his parents would be avenged, and JYP had made good on his end of the bargain. Jackson was 15 when JYP promised him that his part of the deal was accomplished. 

“You’re lying.”

Mark turned his head, meeting Jinyoung directly. His gaze was serious, no traces of amusement. “I’ve never lied to you and I don’t plan on starting now.”

Jinyoung dropped his gaze. He couldn't take the intensity. Their conversation had caused an information overload. JYP had lied to Jackson, Mark's father was still alive and desperate for revenge, and Mark was refusing to help them. He took a drag of his cigarette. 

He needed to compartmentalize. He had one more question left and one more important matter to handle. 

“What happened to Yeji?” He threw the cigarette to the ground, crushing in under the sole of his sneakers. If Jinyoung could get Yeji back then it would free up Tzuyu. She would help in finding Raymond with the rest of her team.

“She might be in a brothel. Maybe a prostitution ring? I really don’t know. I’m not a fan of people following me and I have other friends who were willing to help with that.”

Jinyoungs jaw clenched. Yeji was on the younger side. She was an important member of her team and she was looked upon favorably by him and JB. It would hinder them to lose her.

“Would you like for me to bring her back?” Mark asked, curious. “You seem bothered that she-”

“She is important to us.” Jinyoung said before he was able to stop himself. He couldn't bring himself to lie to a man who never lied to him, but showing vulnerability had never been accepted.

Mark watched him silently. His gaze calculating before dropping to a look of pity. Jinyoung turned away. He knew Mark was thinking he was too soft to be in his position, he would have thought the same if he was in the others shoes. Jinyoung bit his lip, pushing down his pride. JYP was his family. As long as his family wasn’t dead he would do what he could to protect them.

“Fine. I’ll bring her back.” His tone was soft, understanding. 

Jinyoung ran a hand through his hair. He bit back a smile. He wasn’t naive enough to think it was for free. “What do you want in return?”

“Nothing.” Mark leaned back. “Seeing you is enough payment for a simple favor.”

Jinyoung felt his face flush. It shouldn’t have been a charming statement but it was. “Thank you.”

A brief silence settled.

“You’re welcome.” Mark smiled, his eyes glistening as he shifted his body more towards Jinyoung. “Now that we have business matters out of the way, you looked good in a suit, but you look good out of it too.” 

Jinyoung felt his ears burn as he glanced to his own apparel. He hadn’t expected to see anyone and it was late in the evening. Putting on a suit would be tedious so he opted for a black hoodie and some jeans. It was the first time Mark had seen him in casual wear. 

“What, no compliments for me?”

Looking towards the other man, he couldn’t help thinking the man cleaned up nice. His hair was styled off of his forehead, he wore a ripped dark blue denim jacket that faded to grey at the bottom over a black turtleneck, black ripped jeans and black shoes. Eye candy.

“Never mind, you look like you want to eat me. That's a compliment enough.” Mark chuckled. 

Jinyoung's face reddened. He hadn’t intended to devour Mark with his eyes but it was hard. The man was too attractive for his health. 

“You’re full of yourself.” Jinyoung replied, refusing to admit to the truth. Mark only laughed harder, a true laugh. Jinyoung found the sound to be beautiful. 

“You know, I like you Park Jinyoung. I wish things could be different.” Mark's voice was soft, his gaze matching his tone.

Jinyoung heart pounded in his chest. He wouldn’t admit it out loud, but he wished things were different too. He had never felt so comfortable, or so attached to a man as quickly as he had with Mark. It unnerved him to even think about it. 

A shrill sound of a ringtone interrupted the silence of the park. Jinyoung watched as Mark pulled the phone from his pocket. He smiled slightly as he looked at the screen and answered, pressing the phone to his ear. 

“Hey.” Jinyoung watched as Mark listened intently to the person on the other end. He couldn’t make out the voice but by the frown that had formed on Marks lips he could tell he wasn’t pleased. “Are you sure?”

Mark glanced at Jinyoung as he hummed into the phone, bidding the person a goodbye before hanging up. 

“Well, that’s my cue to go.” Mark stood to his feet, sticking his phone into his pocket and grabbing his bag. He stuck the pack of cigarettes in his back pocket and Jinyoung wondered if he was keeping it for Jinyoungs sake. He wondered if the man was planning on seeing him again. 

“Will it take you two weeks to come again?” Jinyoung felt no shame in asking the question. He still had questions he needed answers to. 

Mark smiled, shaking his head and shifting on his feet. “I won’t have to. JB will find me first.”

Jinyoung raised a brow. “How do you know that?”

“I know how he works, much like he knows how I do. It’s probably why he never really thought I would be responsible for the recent attacks.”

Words froze on the tip of his tongue. It was true that he had been adamant about Mark being innocent while they were in the hospital but he had assumed it was because he thought Jay was keeping tabs on him. Did JB still have trust for Mark?

It seemed to be an even more complicated situation. Mark harbored negative feelings for JB and Jackson, Jackson considered Mark a traitor who betrayed his trust, and JB seems to have faith Mark. 

Something deeper must have happened between the three to cause such relations. 

Mark's soft chuckle broke his thoughts. “As much as I enjoy your thinking face, I’ll see you in a few days, Park Jinyoung.”

“Bye, Mark Tuan.” Jinyoung could only watch in silence as the man walked away. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As a recap for this chapter: You now know that Marks dad is alive and he was the 'ghost' they have been trying to identify. Mark, as of right now, is refusing to help JYP find him. JYP lied to Jackson about killing the men responsible for his parents death to keep him loyal, Yugyeom and Bambam were friends with Mark before they joined JYP. And most importantly- Mark and Jinyoung still have feelings. 
> 
> I think that the next 2 chapters will be interesting.


	20. Into the Past

He hated his life. Had his mother not died then things may have been different, but as people didn't magically come back to life it was too much to ask. Instead he was barely an 18 year old who just attended his father's fake funeral. 

The mourners had taken pity on him, giving him condolences for having no living parent left. His father's Capos had taken to calling him boss while in public, a name he would have adamantly refused had his father not faked his own death. The gang who had been 'responsible' for his death had attended in order to confirm the kill so he had responded to Boss as though he were born with the title. The funeral had been closed casket so his acting was the key to pulling it off. 

He had considered revealing the truth as a means to pay his father back for the torment he had put him through over the last few years, but his survival instinct heavily outweighed the desire to rebel. His father wouldn’t have taken too kindly to him ruining his plans, and Mark needed a break from the punishments he received. 

Thankfully his father wouldn’t be returning for the next few days. 

Scuffing his feet against the hardwood floor as he made his way to his room, he froze as he heard a soft thud. He turned on his feels, narrowing his eyes as he listened for the sound again. 

Another soft thud. 

Mark backtracked, stopping in front of his father's bedroom and pressing his ear against the wooden door to listen for movement. 

He had been right. Someone was in his father's room. Feeling for the gun latched to his side, he said a silent prayer hoping he wouldn't have to use it. Logically, he should call for security, but after a day of obedience he felt like being a little reckless. 

Placing his hand on the handle, he slowly turned the knob. The shuffling on the other side continued. He pushed the door open slowly, thankful that the usual creaks were silent. 

He blinked as he surveyed the two intruders. Young kids, possibly under 16, ragged clothes, and bruised faces. The smaller of the two looked to be patching the taller ones wounds as the taller one looked around the room. He was probably looking for things to steal. 

Mark stood straight, clearing his throat to announce his appearance. Two heads snapped towards him. They looked like animals ready to fight their way out of the lion's mouth. 

Interesting. 

"Petty theft? People have lost their lives for less." He scolded. 

The two tensed, sharing a quick glance before shifting slightly towards the open window. They were ready to run if need be. 

Mark didn't care either way. He leaned against the door frame. He was glad he hadn't called security, they were young and looked like they had been through enough. 

"Gonna kill us?" The shorter kid snapped. 

Mark raised a brow. It seemed the shorter one was a little older despite appearances. 

"No, but I'll give you a tip. If you want it."

Another shared glance. They weren't used to being caught, that much was obvious. Mark wondered how long they had been breaking into houses. 

He was more curious on how they were able to sneak through security that had been tripled since his father's ‘death.’ 

"And if we don't?" The shorty clenched his fists before taking another step back. Mark eyed the smaller kid. It was a wonder why he was the only one speaking. 

"Then I’ll leave you be. I'll turn and walk away like I never saw a thing." Mark tilted his head as the teen opened his mouth. He wasn't finished though. "However, security is about to do a walk through in less than a minute and I doubt you'll be out in time."

Eyes widened in panic as they shared another glance. Mark would have found it cute had time not been working against them. 

"How do we know we can trust you?" The smaller asked as both eyes narrowed. 

"You don't know," Mark glanced down at his watch. "But you have 30 seconds to decide." 

The two shared a silent conversation, Mark was intrigued by the lack of words spoken. He was interested in the two. 

"Fine." 

Mark smiled, clapping his hands in approval. "Good. Follow me."

He turned and walked out, confident that the curious teens would follow him out. His smile widened as his father's door closed and 2 pairs of sneakers squeaked against the wood behind him. 

They followed in silence until he reached his bedroom door. He held it open for them to enter. 

They hesitated before stepping in. Mark's smile remained in place as he entered behind them, closing the door and turning the lock. Hopefully security would take the hint and leave him alone. He doubted it, but he was still hopeful.

"What are we doing here?" 

"Why doesn't your friend speak?" Mark questioned instead. He beckoned for his guests to sit on the couch in the sitting area of his room and moved to grab the first aid kit. He could feel the intensity of their gazes as they watched him.

"He doesn't speak English." 

"What language does he speak?" Mark raised a brow as he sat on the coffee table in front of them. He opened the box before tending to their wounds, staring with the quiet one. 

"Korean." 

Mark bit back a bitter smile. Korea always seemed to show up when it wasn't welcome. Memories of his mother's smiling face flashed through his mind only to be torn away as the taller man hissed in pain. He offered a small apology in Korean before continuing. 

"You speak Korean?" The taller man finally spoke, eyes widening in glee. He danced in his seat in excitement and Mark felt a strange sense of deja vu. 

"I do." He hadn’t spoken it in years so he was a little rusty, but he remembered enough to fake being fluent. 

"So you-" the taller teen started.

"What was the tip?" The smaller teen questioned. Mark eyed him as he placed a bandage around the others neck. It looked as though he had been strangled. 

"I'll tell you if you tell me why you broke into my home." 

The smaller man glared, standing to his feet and dragging the smaller man with him. "We don't have time for this."

Mark blinked. What exactly was that supposed to mean? 

Three frames froze as the room's door knob turned. Mark's heart dropped as he stood to his feet, pushing the two back down on the couch and giving them a look to remain seated as he moved to the door. 

It was pushed open before he was unable to relock it. 

"Mark, what are you doing in here with the door locked?" Sohee questioned. She eyed him curiously, putting his room key into her pocket before glancing around the room. Her eyes gliding before stopping on the two forms sitting on his couch. She sent a swift glance to Mark who could only offer a sheepish smile. 

"My friends came to console me. I didn't want to be bothered."

"Friends?" She questioned, her brow raised. She didn't believe him. Mark couldn't blame her. His father had cut off all forms of communication with the outside world when his mother died. He had no friends in America. 

"Hi Miss. I'm Bhuwakul, this is Yugyeom." 

Mark nearly choked on his own breath at his name as he watched Sohee blink in stupor. She hadn't expected the name. Mark hadn't either. 

"But we call him BamBam." He offered, sending a glance to the two boys. He offered them a small smile before moving closer to the woman. "Can you just let them stay for a while? I haven't had company in years."

"Your father-"

"Doesn't have to know. This is a one time thing."

Sohees eyes softened at his pleads. She reached a hand forward and rubbed it through his hair. She had always treated him like a son. "Fine. I'll retrieve you when dinner is ready. They must be gone by then." 

Mark gave a swift kiss to her cheek as she walked out. He closed the door behind her. 

Releasing a breath, he turned to return to his previous seat. The malice in Bambams eyes no longer there. It seemed he had earned their trust. 

"It was easy to sneak in. Sure the security is tight but Bambam is small for a 14 year old so he was able to slide through unnoticed." Yugyeom started. His eyes sparkled as he spoke. Bambam scoffed at the height remark, grumbling something about being the same age. "We've scoped out this place for a week before today. Everything here runs like clockwork."

Mark hummed, finishing Yugyeom and moving to Bambam. His bruises weren't as bad but his cuts on his hands were still bleeding. He wondered what they had gone through.

"Your turn." Bambam demanded. 

"My tip? Next time don't break into my father's room. He'll notice right away if something is missing and hunt you down like dogs." He shrugged, pulling Bambams hand closer as he tried to pull away. 

"He wouldn't be able to find us." Yugyeom's voice shook, fear evident. They didn't know whose house they had broken into.

Interesting. 

There wasn't a soul in the county that didn't know this house belonged to the Tuans. 

"Were you paid to break in?" He watched as the two shared a glance. He would take it as a yes. "It's okay. I won't be mad. We’re friends, remember?" 

Bambam hesitated, sending one more worried glance at the younger before returning worried eyes to Mark. "We were. They promised 2 thousand if we broke in to steal a pendant."

The family pendant? It was useless unless you were a part of the Mafia. Mark sighed. This was going to be annoying. If they returned empty handed then they would be killed and they were too innocent to realize that. 

Reaching into his pocket, he grabbed his own pendant and placed it in Bambams palm. He clenched the fist and held it closed as he looked between the two boys. They were too young to die at the hands of an organization they clearly held no connection to. They were two innocent boys that their employer had planned on taking advantage of. 

"I'll let you have this on the condition that you come visit me again." 

Bambam raised a brow in confusion as Yugyeom looked between them. Mark wouldn't worry about him. It was obvious that he would agree to whatever Bambam said. 

Mark's heart thumped heavily as he waited for an answer. He was miserable trapped in this house, but hopefully the two would make things more bearable if they became his friends. 

They had already proven that they could sneak in unnoticed. It was the perfect opportunity and Mark would latch on until they said yes.

"Fine." Bambam answered, snatching his hand from Mark and offering his other arms for bandaging. "But only because you said we're friend's, and only if you feed us."

Mark's smile was blinding. "Deal."

## 

He hated his life, he truly did. He thought it would get better, that he would get used to being locked in closets, or beaten until he fell unconscious. He was already 20 years old, he thought it would get easier.

Then why hadn't it? 

"Yien?" A soft voice whispered through the darkness of his room. Mark knew that voice, it calmed him. He was glad he couldn't open his eyes to see the worried look on the woman's face. "I'm so sorry I couldn't help you sooner." 

Mark groaned as the woman moved him. His whole body ached. He wished he would have devised a plan that helped him escape during the day. His father had been particularly aggravated when he returned home from a meeting. He had complained about killing a mouse that had been snooping to close. Mark knew instantly his father was talking about Jay. JYP had sent him after rumors of his father's death spread.

It wasn't long after that he started raging about his deceased wife before taking his anger out on the son who looked just like her.

He really hated his father.

"Bambam-" he gritted out through clenched teeth as she lifted him from the bed. 

"Is in the hall keeping look out. Your father is knocked out but you can never be too sure. We can't trust drugs from the streets." Sohee grabbed his arm, wrapping it around her shoulder as she helped him walk. Mark wanted nothing more than to cry out in pain and drop to the floor.

"Yugyeom, is he-"

"In the car. Everything is already packed and ready to go." She advised, struggling to help him as she led him out of the room.

Bambam, who had been standing at the end of the hall, jogged over to help. He bent over, allowing Mark to fall onto his back. Bambam was only 16, but he had grown two heads taller. He was officially tall for his age. 

Leading the way, they hurried down the corridors to the back stairwell the kitchen staff often used. By 9 o'clock the area was shut down. No security guarded the area. Not many people knew about it so it was the perfect path. A few hours before midnight, the area was vacant.

Mark felt his consciousness waiver as they moved. The sway of Bambam’s walk soothing his aching bones and the soft whispers of his companions soothing his nerves. They all had something to lose if they were caught, especially Sohee. She was his father's underboss. 

Cool air hit his face and Mark knew they were almost to the car. Cracking his eyes open, he looked at the worried face of Yugyeom and offered a comforting smile. 

He helped Mark off of Bambams back and settled him in the backseat of the car. His worried gaze was making his nerves anxious. Was it really that bad? 

"I'm fine." The boy didn't believe him, none of them did, but they didn't press. There wasn't enough time. 

"Here." Sohee said, handing a bottle of pills to Bambam and ruffling his hair. "Take care of my boy." 

She kissed his cheek before kissing Yugyeom's and turned to regard Mark. Her eyes glistened with tears she wouldn't shed. She couldn't afford to look as though she had been crying. 

"Duàn Yí Ēn, stay safe." She leaned in, kissing his forehead. She left shortly after. 

Mark watched her go, his eyes closing as the car began to move. A few minutes of sleep would do his body some good. 

The next time he woke up was on the plane. Bambam sat, sleeping to his right while Yugyeom sat to his left. The fake passports Sohee provided must have worked. He hadn't even felt the plane take off. 

"How long have we been in the air?" He questioned, voice groggy as he fought off his exhaustion, turning to Yugyeom.

"6 hours." He smiled, taking a bottle of pills from his pocket and popping the lid. He handed Mark 3 before handing him an opened bottle of water. "You look like shit." 

Mark would have chuckled if it didn't hurt so bad. "Thanks bud, knew I could count on you to be honest."

Yugyeom chuckled, the worry still evident but not as clear as before. "Try to get some more sleep. I'll wake you for the first layover." He promised. 

Resting his head against the seat rest, he snuggled into his blanket. He really could wait to hear how they got a battered man on the plane with no incident. 

His word went black. 

"We're here."

Mark groaned as a hand shook him awake. His eyes snapped open to find an amused Bambam. After a 33 hour flight, Mark vowed to never do it again. His body couldn't handle it. If it wasn't on a private plane he would outright refuse. 

Standing from his chair he stretched his limbs and yawned. He had slept for the majority of the trip thanks to Sohees painkillers so he was feeling a little better. The walk out of the airport hadn't been as strenuous as it was when he was first pulled out of bed.

Mark stopped, Bambam and Yugyeom stopping behind him, as a familiar figure approached them. 

"Why are you here?" The voice asked as a way of greeting. His tone was mocking but filled with affection. 

"Hello to you too." Mark answered in return. His smile widened as the other glared.

"Fuck you, Tuan. You don't get to come back to Korea and not give me a fair warning."

He turned to look at his friends, ignoring the irritation of his last Korean friend. Bambam and Yugyeom looked ready to pounce on the newcomer. They had become protective of him after realizing how poor his home life was. After promising to visit him they had never left his side and would never leave his side willingly. They had quickly become his closest, and most trusted friends. 

"Yugyeom, Bambam, this is Peniel. Possibly the only friend I have left in Korea." 

The three eyed one another, neither allowing themselves to break the tense silence between them. Mark rolled his eyes. They didn't have time for this. They were wasting daylight and he still needed to check out the campus. 

Classes started in less than a week.

"Can we go, or are you guys not finished making googly eyes at each other?" He offered, smirking in amusement as Peniel scoffed, Yugyeom flushed red, and Bambam puted. They would probably be friends before the end of the night. 

"Whatever." Peniel grumbled, grabbing Mark's bag from Yugyeom and eyeing his longtime friend. "You look like shit by the way." 

“Told you so.” Yugyeom agreed, walking closely to Mark.

“Fuck you both.”

##

"You want me to what?" Bambam hissed, pacing back and forth. 

Mark watched as the boy raged. He knew he wouldn't like it, but Mark needed this. He needed this for his own peace of mind and sanity.

"It won't be too hard to get in. I could help with that. My folks are still close to the old man." Peniel offered. His mouth clamped shut at the heated glare sent his way. He had learned a long time ago not to interfere in arguments between Bambam and Mark, not that they happened often. Last time he had ‘accidently’ been pushed down the steps. He still had the scar to prove it. 

"Look, Bam, I would do it myself if I could but if I step foot in their territory JYP will either shoot me through the skull, or send me back to my father. I can't afford either option." He kept his tone even as he spoke. He didn’t want to antagonize Bambam, he needed for this to work. 

"It's been a full year since you left! Why now? Why do you need to know all of a sudden?" Bambam yelled. It wasn't often the young man got so upset. 

Mark glanced at Yugyeom sitting silently in the corner. He kept his eyes locked on his friend before shifting his gaze to Mark. Curiosity lingered. 

"Because I can't sleep." He admitted. "I see him in my dreams, when I'm walking down the streets, when I enter my dorm, when I open my closet door. I see him everywhere." And that scared him. He was terrified of his dad finding him. It had been a year since a hand was laid on him but the remnants of the pain stayed at the forefront of his mind. Thinking about when his father would do if he found him caused levels of anxiety Mark hadn't even known existed. 

"Bam, you're 16, I can't force you to do anything you don't want to but I'm asking for one last favor. I know it's selfish, I know I have no right, but I can't live like this anymore. I wasn't raised to rely on others but I have no choice. I want to get rid of and ignore this paranoia but I can't. It's too much to handle on my own."

A heavy silence settled in the room as Bambam dropped down on a chair. Mark didn't talk about his feelings, and he never admitted to feelings that could be used against him. Bambam knew how serious Mark was, he knew this was what Mark desperately needed. He knew this was the only way he would be able to help Mark.

"I'll do it." Yugyeom spoke. Mark turned to look at the younger man. He hasn't asked Yugyeom since the boy still had an innocence to him. You could smell the blood lust on Bambam, but Yugyeom was like a flower that opened when the sun shined the brightest. He didn’t want for Yugyeom to lose that part of him and joining JYP might rip it away.

"It'll be dangerous." Peniel interjected again, speaking slow to test the waters. Mark sent him a look before nodding in agreement. They all knew the risks of joining the mafia. Mark had told them enough stories about his time in Korea.

"I'll be fine, Bambam will come with me." 

Mark looked at the Thai boy. He didn't look pleased but as he turned to look at Yugyeom his glare lessened. 

"When we're gone make sure you stay safe." Bambam grumbed, slouching further in his chair and Mark smiled. 

"Thank you Bambam. I really appreciate it." He did. He would owe a debt to the two for the rest of his life. It was rare to have friends who were willing to join the mafia. 

His mind flashed to Jackson and JB before he buried those memories. They were no longer his friends. They had made that clear when they did nothing to stop his mother's death. 

Watching as Peniel and Bambam began to bicker, Yugyeom defending Bambam every now and again, Mark smiled at his friends.

It seemed his life was finally beginning to look up. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've run out of ideas for chapter titles, lol.


	21. Vindicated

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter ended differently than I thought it would. Enjoy~

Mark sat silently, listening to the steady breathing of his friend as he fixed his rubix cube. The doctor had told him that the man wasn't completely in the clear. When he was asleep someone needed to make sure air was making its way to his lungs. Broken ribs made breathing that much harder.

Peniel didn’t deserve to be on the receiving end of medical treatment.

“Haven’t you already fixed that one?” A groggy voice spoke.

Mark glanced up, watching intently as Peniel slowly sat up on the bed. The pain was evident with every move. Memories of his time in America flashed through his mind as Peniel struggled to lean against the pillows.

“Of course I have, but Yugyeom hasn’t mixed up the new one yet so I have nothing else to do.” He kept his tone light, masking his concern the best he could while keeping track of his every move. Peniel hated help, but Mark would give it anyway. It was, after all, his fault that Peniel had shown up at his doorstep nearly beaten to death.

“I can mix it for you.” The man scoffed, resting his head against the pillow. His smile was teasing. 

Mark forced a smile in return. He knew this was Peniels way of telling him that he was fine, but it did nothing to quell his concerns. They didn’t have the type of relationship where they said exactly what they meant. They preferred the other to read between the lines, but Mark refused to read them. Peniel said he was fine, his damaged body begged to differ.

“If your fingers were still attached I’m sure you would.”

Peniels fingers twitched at the jab, the two remaining ones, the thumb and the pointer. He had lost 3 fingers for information he refused to give.

“I’m sure your father will give them back if I ask nicely.” He chuckled bitterly, eyes losing focus before returning. “Though he probably already fed them to the pigs.”

A tense silence settled between the them. Mark lowered his gaze back to his cube while Peniel stared up at the ceiling. The man had been pulled off of the streets and tortured for information. Mark hadn’t anticipated his father knowing about Peniel, and he hadn’t expected for him to question Peniel about his whereabouts.

He needed to take extra precaution if he was to avoid his father. It was the main reason he had also pulled Bambam from JYP instead of just Yugyeom. He couldn’t protect the boys if they were out of sight, and if his father knew to search for Peniel, then it wouldn’t be long before he searched for them.

He wouldn’t be able to live with himself if something happened to either of them. It was already hard enough to see Peniel looking like a broken doll.

“It wouldn’t really make a difference. You suck at mixing it up anyway.” He teased, effectively breaking the tension as Peniel released a small laugh.

It was surprising that the injured man held no resentment. Peniel biggest concern when he was found was Mark's safety. He had told Mark that his father was searching for him in Korea, and that he was too close before passing out in his arms. Bambam and Yugyeom had helped transfer him to the safehouse they currently resided in.

Mark was currently nursing him back to health.

“We’re here!” Bambam called as he stepped through the front door, Yugyeom following closely behind. Peniel's bed was stationed in the living room since it was the only room with a functioning TV and the man grew board sitting alone.

Bambam and Yugyeom each carried a paper bag, the strong scent of fried food seeping through. Mark's stomach growled at the smell. He hadn’t realized he had been so hungry.

Yugyeom distributed the food while Bambam passed out the drinks, Peniel gingerly taking his fries and a sip of his drink. Making sure he was okay, Yugyeom moved to sit next to Mark on the small couch, Bambam opting to sit in the captain's chair on the opposite end of the room.

“We ran into someone interesting outside.” Bambam started. An amused smirk on his face as he took a bite of his chicken.

“Yeah? Whose that?” Peniel questioned, raising a brow as he stuck a fry in his mouth. Mark felt a sense of pity. The man wouldn’t be able to enjoy chicken for another few days.

“Sakura.” Bambam answered, wiggling his brows at Mark in a teasing manner.

Mark rolled his eyes. Sakura was a good friend, one that he could rely on and vice versa. It wasn’t his fault that the Japanese girl once desired something more than their friendship, and he didn't care. She understood that nothing between them would change. Bambam teased him anytime he could.

“She said your father approached her again.” Yugyeom continued, eyes shining with mischief. Mark didn’t like the gleam in his eyes. He knew whatever the younger man had to say wouldn’t be good. “Apparently he put his vengeance on the back burner after a little birdy told him you were living well in Korea.”

Dread filled his core as he lowered his chicken, his appetite lost. He placed his food on the side table and picked his rubix cube back up. His father was too close for comfort. Was Mark going to have to leave Korea again? He needed to think.

“I heard he’s going from family to family looking for you. Rumors that he’s alive is starting to spread through the streets. It’s like once he heard you were in Korea he threw all caution to the wind.” Bambam eyed him, amusement long gone as he relayed important information. “He’s hell bent on getting you back.”

Mark could feel three pairs of eyes focused on him but he couldn’t be concerned about them. He needed to plan his next move carefully. He had thought JB would have already made his appearance but he had forgotten how stubborn he was. If JB didn’t get to him before his father did then he didn’t know how much longer he had left to live. He would kill himself before going back to his father.

“How accurate is your information?” Mark’s tone was serious, all sense of friendliness drained from his body. He was no longer in a joking mood.

Bambam and Yugyeom straightened at the sudden change, the mood of the room turning more business as Mark's mind worked overtime. He could leave Korea but that would be a last resort.

If Mark left he would have to leave behind a handful of people who would suffer at the hands of his father in order to find him. He didn’t necessarily care about people outside of the room, but he had an inkling that his father knew of his attraction to Jinyoung. It left him unsettled.

“Lisa told me.”

It was accurate information. He sighed, starting to move his cube between his fingers. He counted each turn as his mind lingered on possibilities, the room silent as he worked. He ignored the curious gazes locked onto him as he weighed his options. All of his cards were laid on a man he had lost trust in a long time ago, a man he hoped still held compassion for him. If he needed to use the nostalgia of their childhood to push a few pieces he would do so willingly.

Yugyeom had told him how JB had initially denied Mark's involvement. He would use that to his advantage. Mark had never betrayed JB, JB on the other hand...

Marks jaw clenched as he thought about their history. He needed JB to bite, and had hoped his conversation with Jinyoung would force him to.

Jaebeom was predictable like that. He wouldn’t let the threat of Raymond Tuan hang over Mark's head. JB acted hard, but his heart had always been soft. Mark had no qualms in exploiting that compassion.

He would, however, lose the upper hand if he offered his services. He needed to ensure the safety of his friends, first and foremost, and he couldn't negotiate if he had no leverage.

The sound of a car door outside broke his train of thought. He looked up, eyes meeting the three others before smirking. Somehow his plans always worked the way they needed to.

He looked to the door, waiting patiently for the first knock. A heavy burden left his soldiers at the sound. He smirked, watching Yugyeom head to the door. He looked down to his cube, working slowly to complete it. This would be the first time he had come face to face with JB in years. The nostalgia krept up on him like an unwelcome friend.

Yugyeom opened the door, his face blank as he took in the familiar faces of those he once called family.

“Yugyeom.” JB greeted, his voice deep. Mark held a shiver at the gruffness. The man had clearly matured since they were teens. He sounded nothing like he had then they were 15.

“Jaebeom, Jinyoung, Jackson.” Yugyeom greeted, tone pleasant as though he were being paid for his hospitality, and stepped to the side to let them in. He kept his eyes keen as they passed him, making note of every visible gun, and every hidden knife. He ignored the glare from Jackson, and the subtle look of curiosity from Jinyoung as he looked to Mark who had yet to raise his head. If Mark didn’t see them as a threat then he wouldn’t either. He closed the door shut behind them and returned to his seat.

“Hi Yugyeom, Bambam.” Jinyoung greeted, shifting his eyes from the tall boy to the boy sitting quietly in the chair. Bambam's eyes glistened before going dull. He wasn’t the same as he had been when he was with them. Neither of them were. “Mark.”

The air was thick with tension as Mark looked up, fingers continuing to move the cube as he smiled at his old friend. He was handsome, more handsome than he had expected. The pictures didn’t do him any justice.

“Welcome to my humble abode. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Cut the shit, you know why we’re here.” Jackson hissed, crossing his arms over his shoulders and straightening his back in an act of defiance.

Mark ignored the outburst, shifting his eyes from Jaebeom to Jinyoung only to return to the tense leader. He wasn’t comfortable, but Mark would leave it be. He wouldn’t be comfortable either if he was in a room with 2 men who betrayed him, and another who could have set a trap. Not that Mark was one for traps, it wasn’t really his style. He’d rather manipulate the situation to fit his needs.

“Keep a leash on your dog.” Peniel snapped. Mark held back a chuckle at Peniels threatening tone. There wasn’t much he could do while confined to the bed with a broken foot, broken ribs, and missing fingers.

JB’s eyes snapped to the injured man, his gaze calculating before returning back to Mark. “I see you still keep unruly company.”

Mark laughed outright. Jaebeom had never liked Peniel, and vice versa, even when they were kids. He was one of the only people Mark had chosen that he vocally refused to befriend. The two were headstrong and clashed on more than one occasion. “You have no room to talk. Jackson behaves like an unneutered mutt in heat.”

JB’s eyes narrowed slightly before his face went blank. Mark knew the look well. His mind was reeling. He knew he was fighting the urge to snap in Jacksons defence. Mark would have done the same if he was in the others shoes. He and Jaebeom were similar in many ways. It was what helped them get along so well as children. The main difference was Mark hid his tendencies better than Jaebeom. To him, no matter how hard Jaebeom tried to hide it, Mark could read him like an open book.

“Fuck you, Tuan!” Jackson barked, taking a step closer to him only to be stopped by Jinyoung. He calmed as Jinyoung sent him a scathing look.

It was interesting to see Jinyoung's role on the three man team. It was obvious he was often in charge of keeping everyone level headed. It left little room for error. Mark idly wondered how someone as hot headed as Jackson, and as temperamental as JB would have run JYP without him.

“Sorry Jackson, you’re not the one I want to fuck.” Mark eyed the underboss, his head tilting to the side and a small smirk growing as Jinyoung's ears turned bright red. The man's emotions played on his face as though he held up a sign. Mark found him to be cute.

“We need to talk.” JB interjected, effectively cutting off any response Jackson could have and avoiding the topic of his interests in Jinyoung all together. He moved to sit in a vacant seat, Jinyoung sitting beside him. Jackson remained by the door, arms crossed and lips clenched shut.

“Did you come to beg for forgiveness?” Mark questioned, leaning back on the couch as he tossed the cube over the Bambam to scramble. The kid caught it, moving the sides quickly with no thought. Mark liked the way he scrambled the cube the best.

“I have nothing to apologize for.” JB scoffed, leaning back in his own seat as though the seat was placed there specifically for him. He sat as though the house belonged to him. Jinyoung sat with a little more respect, though his aura had a subtle hint of authority. JB’s opposite.

“Then we have nothing to talk about.”

“Cut the shit.” JB scolded. Mark raised a brow at the tone. He hadn’t heard it in such a long time. It reminded him of the time he had broken his arm and had lied about the pain because he wanted to ride the rollercoaster with JB on their last day of vacation. “As much as you loathe me, and as much as Jackson is mad at you, we share a common enemy.”

Irritation flowed through Mark’s veins like a dose of heroine. He didn’t just loath JB, he didn’t just loath JYP. He hated them. He hated them with every fiber of his being. He wanted nothing more than for that family to implode. He didn’t care if Jackson was upset because he felt Mark betrayed him, betrayed his trust. That wasn’t his problem. Jackson had always been a pawn in JYPs mind games. JB though, Im Jaebeom knew what he had done, he knew what JYP had done, and he was just as much a snake as his father for doing nothing to stop it.

“I don’t loathe you, JB. I hate you. I hate you so much that I hope my father gets his pathetic wish for revenge.” Mark bit out, clenching his teeth as he forced himself to calm. It wouldn’t do well to lose his head. “We don’t share a common enemy. Raymond Tuan is not my enemy, he’s yours.”

Silence settled. The tension was so thick it could be cut with a knife. Mark turned his gaze to Yugyeom whose eyes were on him, showing slight concern for him before turning back to their visitors. His shoulders were tense, as were Bambam's, though Bambam had always been better at hiding it.

“But you need him gone, same as us.” Jinyoung spoke, his voice even.

Mark blinked, his irritation flowing out of his body instantly as he looked at the underboss. Jinyoung's gaze was firm, strong. Mark really liked the look. He could understand why JB chose him as underboss. He was level headed and often well spoken. “I believe I already told you-”

“Yes, but circumstances have changed. Raymond has placed his focus solely on you and he’s close to getting what he wants.” His eyes shifted to Peniel before focusing back on Mark. “I mean, look at what he’s done to your friend.”

Mark leaned against the armrest of the couch, his chin resting in his hand as he eyed Jinyoung who met his cynicism head on. Mark appreciated it. It made his goal that much more easier.

“How do you know his injuries were caused by my father?”

Jinyoung raised a brow. “You’re not the only one with connections.”

Mark tilted his head, acting as though he were taking Jinyoung's words into consideration. He had already planned on agreeing to help JB out, he just needed to work the best possible deal to get it done. Sure, he hated JB, but his father was the biggest threat. With him out of the way he would be able to walk away without looking over his shoulders. Sure, he wanted JYP to end their reign, but he didn’t feel enough resentment to involve uninvolved parties. The man responsible for his mother's death was already dead.

“Fine. I’ll agree to help you, but on 3 conditions.” Mark spoke, leaning up on the couch and motioning for Bambam to toss his cube back. He smiled in thanks as he caught it. He glanced at the cube, keeping note of the colors, before starting to match the sides.

“Name them.” JB raised a brow in question.

“1- Someone needs to keep an eye on Peniel at all times.” There was no way his father was done with his friend and if he was going to help JB then he wouldn’t be able to keep an eye on him. One of JB's foot soldiers could keep an eye on his health.

JB eyed Peniel with a raised brow before a scowl scrunched up his handsome face. Peniel couldn’t help but mock the man as he stuck his tone out in defiance. He didn’t want to be under JB’s care but there was nothing he could do about it. The safety of his most important people were his top priority. “Fine.”

“2- You exonerate Yugyeom and Bambam.”

“No.” JB denied, voice firm, leaving no room for debate. A lesser man would have backed down. Mark was not a lesser man.

“Then no deal.”

“They betrayed the family.” JB hissed. Sneering as he glanced at Yugyeom and Bambam whose focus was on Mark. They hadn’t expected Mark's request, they often trusted Mark to handle things well regardless of them knowing.

“They were never your family.” Mark countered. Sure, Yugyeom and Bambam had grown attached to the men, but their loyalty had always been with Mark. Mark was their family, they considered him their only family. “They have always been mine. Yes they left you, but they never shared your family secrets.”

“Because you never asked.” Jaebeom countered. His eyes burning with irritation at the request he was determined to refuse. Mark couldn’t allow it. If something was to happen to him he needed to know the family of JYP wouldn’t go after their heads. “How do I know they haven’t shared with-”

“Because they had one job, and telling trade secrets wasn’t one of them. You of all people should know how task oriented they are.” Mark waited for the tension in JBs shoulders to lessen slightly before continuing. He kept his voice calm. The last thing he wanted was for JB to snap. He didn’t need that headache. “When I asked them to join your family it was with the intent to keep an eye on my father and to let me know when he would make an appearance in Korea. They’ve remained loyal enough to you that they quietly kept all of the secrets they’ve learned over the years.”

JB’s jaw twitched and his fingers clenched in his lap. He wasn’t happy, far from it. If it was up to him he probably would have put a bullet through Yugyeom as soon as the front door opened. Jaebeom hated traitors more than anything in the world.

“Deal.” Jinyoung answered instead. He kept his gaze locked on Mark as JB snapped his attention to him. His glare promised death but Jinyoung sat as though he hadn’t just gone against his leader. “We’ll overlook their betrayal, but you have to exonerate Jaebeom.”

Jaebeoms eyes widened in shock, mirroring the previous looks of the kids. The last thing they had expected was for Jinyoung to bargain for JB. Mark hadn’t even considered that to be a part of the negotiation. He looked to Jackson who looked just as confused as everyone else in the room. Jinyoung really was an interesting man.

“I don’t think that’s possible. All Yugyeom and Bam did was leave the family, JB watched as your shitty boss put a bullet through my mother's heart.” He spoke clearly, keeping his focus solely on Jinyoung. He had alluded to the fact to Yugyeom and Bambam, and Peniel knew everything.

A dreadful silence settled over the room and Mark welcomed it with open arms. He refused to meet Jaebeom's gaze, he didn’t want to see the look of the man he had once trusted with his own life. He didn’t want to look at the man who had effectively jaded him to those around him. His heart ached heavily in his chest. It was a familiar pain, one that often reminded him he was alive when he wished he wasn’t.

“I wasn’t there that night.” JB denied silently, his voice firm with a hint of hesitance. His gaze shifted over the Jackson who stood with wide eyes before shifting back to Mark.

Mark was skeptical, meeting the dark eyes as he searched for any hint of a lie. The others seemed to fade out as their eyes connected in silent communication. Jaebeom's eyes begged to be believed while Mark searched for the truth. The lie he longed for wasn’t there. Was it because the man had gotten better at lying, or was he telling the truth? Mark felt the sudden desire to disregard his initial plan and kick his old friend out.

“That’s not what I was told.”

“I know, but your sources had their own reasons for lying to you.” Jaebeom hesitated in continuing, his eyes shifting uncomfortably. “I was with Sohee that night.”

“Sohee?” Mark blinked in confusion, his pulse racing as the dread settled. He was with Sohee? That couldn’t be true. She would have told him JB wasn’t there, but she hadn’t. When they were packing to leave she had told him that Jaebeom had witnessed his mother's death and his father had agreed to the story. He didn’t believe his father, but he had believed Sohee. Had she lied to him? And if so, why? She had no reason. “I’ll have to verify that information.”

He glanced as Yugyeom who nodded, pulling out his phone and sending a quick text. Verifying the information was the most important task. Mark didn’t know how he was going to do it without getting in touch with the woman in question but he trusted Yugyeom's ability to obtain information. It was how he knew his father was in town long before he began his bouts of revenge. The younger man could find information on anyone, and anything.

Sadly Jaebeom had never been able to use him to his full potential.

“While we wait, why not tell us your 3rd?” Jinyoung pushed.

Mark blinked, eyeing Jinyoung with a slight smirk on his face. Jinyoung's brow twitched at the look and Mark wondered what was going through his head. He looked slightly worried about what was about to come out of his mouth.

“3- I stay with Jinyoung until all of this is over.” Mark spoke, keeping his voice even as Jinyoung's face flushed a bright red. Honestly speaking, he hadn’t expected such a strong reaction but he appreciated it. “And Bambam and Yugyeom stay with Jackson.”

“Like hell they will!” Jackson yelled, taking a step forward in irritation and clenching his fists.

“We don’t want to stay with you either!” Bambam hissed in rebuttal, taking offence to the strong rejection. Yugyeom nodded his head in agreement, sending Mark a pleading glance as Bambam continued to glare daggers as Jackson returned the look full force.

“Good, because I don’t want you traitors in my home!” Jackson scoffed, his irritation only growing.

“You didn’t want us in your house before we ‘betrayed’ you! Don’t use that as an excuse you coward!” Yugyeom added on, ignoring the interested look Jinyoung sent his way. Mark raised a brow. It seemed Bambam and Yugyeom had been hurt that Jackson didn’t trust them enough to enter his house.

“Look,” Mark started, effectively cutting Jackson off and addressing the stubborn men. “I understand you have obnoxious trust issues, but Yugyeom and Bambam are targets since they are the closest to me. If they're with you I know they’ll have an extra level of protection I can’t give them. At least I know if my father walks through your front door you’ll have no problem putting a bullet through his head.”

Jacksons glare remained unchanged as he refused to hear Mark's words. Mark sighed in irritation. He was going to have to stroke Jacksons ego a bit.

“They aren’t going to stay with Jaebeom because your boss isn’t going to want to put his lover boy in unnecessary danger, and you don’t want to put your boss in the crossfire. I trust that they can defend themselves in any situation, they've been trained for it, but I’d feel better if they had someone who could focus on having their backs while protecting their own.”

Jackson huffed, looking as Jaebeom with pleading eyes before his shoulders dropped in defeat. He knew Mark had a point, he would have to accept his fate. “Fine.”

“And you two,” Mark glanced between Yugyeom and Bambam, his voice softening as he addressed them. “You’ll do this, right? I need you to do this and be okay with it.”

Bambam winced as he pleaded and shared a look with Yugyeom. It reminded Mark of all of the silent conversations they had when he had first befriended them. They both nodded their heads before turning to look in opposite directions. Mark would take that as an okay.

“Deal.”Jaebeom agreed, sending Jackson a quick glance before standing to his feet. Jinyoung followed his lead. “I look forward to working with you.”

Mark rolled his eyes as he waved them off. It would be fun, staying with Jinyoung for a bit. He hadn’t actually thought that bit would work out as well as he had. He was serious about the boys staying with Jackson, but if he was about to stay with Jinyoung he would thank the Gods. He was giddy that Jinyoung had no complaints.

“Oh Jackson, before you go.” Mark spoke, Mandarin flowing through his lips naturally. He stood to his feet as Jackson had one foot out the door. Jaebeom and Jinyoung leaving the house first. He ignored their curious gazes as he grabbed a manila folder from the drawer beside the bed. He handed it to Jackson who hesitated to grab it. “You might not be happy with the contents.”

He smiled, cheeks hurting by the lack of realness behind it. Jinyoung and Jaebeom eyed him skeptically.

“Now that that’s done,” Mark said, pushing Jackson out of the house. “See you later.”

The door slammed shut.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Markjin moments are probably going to increase since they're staying together :D  
> Bambam and Yugyeom are staying with Jackson, and I can't wait for Mark and Youngjae to officially meet.  
> The 7 are finally working together! Yay!
> 
> I don't really know where this story is going anymore. I can see the ending but I don't know how I'm going to get there. This story is already going to be longer than I had originally intended and I don't want to rush things, I already feel like this chapter is rushed :(  
> Hopefully this story can work itself out.


	22. Truths and Lies

Jinyoung eyed the freshly cooked breakfast placed in front of him. It looked delicious, the smell filling the room, but he had no interest in enjoying the meal his maids had prepared. Instead his mind was heavily focused on the man who had appeared on his doorstep the previous night.

Mark had showed up, unannounced, late into the night. Security had tensed as soon as they realized who he was but Mark hadn’t even offered them a word of explanation, nor did he seem to care about the men who held a hand on their guns. Instead, he walked through the front door as though he had owned the house, smiled at Jinyoung, lifted his one duffle bag, and asked where he would be sleeping.

It had been confusing, to say the least. 2 days since leaving the safe house there had been no communication. Jaebeom had been just as confused when Jinyoung had called him shortly after Mark had entered the guest room, offering a quiet goodnight and closing the door shut softly behind him.

Yugyeom and Bambam had stayed with Jackson since they had come to an agreement. From what Jackson had told Jinyoung, Bambam was like a shadow who wouldn’t leave while Yugyeom only appeared at night to sleep. He wouldn’t tell Jackson what he was doing and Bambam acted naive to his friends absence, but Jinyoung suspected Yugyeom was finding information for Mark.

He seemed to work harder when Mark was involved, not that he blamed him. The trio had an interesting relationship, if how they interacted at the safe house was any indication. Yugyeom and Bambam seemed to be protective of Mark, and Mark seemed to share the same sentiments. Watching them listen so intently with trust to everything Mark said was heartwarming.

“Good Morning.” A groggy voice sounded from the doorway.

Jinyoungs eyes snapped from the food to land on Mark. He looked tired, but he was in a fresh set of clothes and his eyes held a certain interest as he eyed the food.

“Good Morning,” he replied, noticing the maid who stood silently in the corner with a stiffened fram. She was nervous to have Mark around, most of his staff were. They had been anxious about his intentions and Jinyoung couldn’t blame them. Mark was a wildcard. “Would you like some breakfast?”

“I’d love some.” Mark smiled at him, taking a seat on the chair to his left. He smiled in thanks as a maid put a clean plate in front of him. He took a spoon and stacked 2 pancakes, a scoop of eggs, and a sausage. “I forgot to eat dinner last night and I figured your staff would have a heart attack if they found me in your kitchen in the middle of the night.”

“They probably would have shot you.” Jinyoung chuckled, leaning up to rest his elbow against the table and his chin in his palm. Mark hummed in satisfaction as he took his first bite. He was cute.

Mark shrugged, turning to the maid. “Can I have a cup of coffee please?”

The maid blushed slightly before nodding, her blush only deepening upon realizing Jinyoug's curious gaze to her reaction. She scurried off.

“If your people shot me then all of Yugyeom's hard work would have been for nothing.” Mark grinned, eyeing Jinyoung as he stuck his fork into his sausage.

Jinyoung raised a brow. So that's why Yugyeom hadn’t been at Jackson's house as often as Bambam. “He already found what you were looking for?”

Mark nodded, his grin dropping to a small smile before dropping from his face completely. He stared down at the food in front of him. Jinyoung wanted to know what was on the older man's mind. Was he worried about the information Yugyeom found? Was he worried that he had been lied to, or was he worried that he had believed the truth?

Jinyoung wasn’t sure. He trusted JB when he had said he wasn’t there when Mark's mother had died and he wouldn’t be surprised if Mark felt the same way. It would make sense that Mark held a certain trust in JB, the same way JB still held a certain trust in him. The proof was in Mark not attacking JYP upon his initial return to Korea.

If he truly believed in Jaebeom's involvement in his mother's death his reason for entering Korea would have been his pursuit for revenge.

“Yugyeom should be here in 30 minutes, he’s bringing Jackson and Bambam with him.”

“And Jaebeom?” Jinyoung leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers against the table as the maid reentered the room. He dismissed her after she placed a steaming cup of coffee in front of their guest. “Can I assume he’s on his way as well.”

“Yeah, I figured the earlier I get this over with the quicker I can spend time with just you.”

Jinyoung felt his ears burning red at the words. The privacy in the room seemed to make his heart thump even louder than normal. “What makes you think I don’t have things to do?”

“I’m pretty sure your schedule is free.” Mark raised a brow before a seductive smirk crossed his lips. “Unless you want a continuation of our date. It’s a shame it got cut short.”

Jinyoung could feel his face burning. Shit. It really was a shame the night was cut short. The memories of the heat surrounding his dick pushed to the forefront of his mind. Jinyoung wouldn’t mind a repeat. Fucking Jaebeom and his cock-blocking tendencies. “I’m sure that could be arranged.”

Mark's smirk only grew, as did the lust. He pushed back in his seat, dropping the fork onto his plate and licking his lips.

“Excuse me, sir.”

Jinyoung's eyes snapped to the doorway. A security guard stood nervously, eyeing Mark as though he were the ultimate threat, before lowering his gaze. Jinyoung really needed to replace his staff. They lacked balls. He didn’t mind if they were nervous, but it was embarrassing how finicky they were behaving.

“The boss has arrived with Youngjae. They are waiting in the office.”

Jinyoung sighed, standing to his feet. He stretched his limbs, ignoring Mark's lecherous gaze as he did so. “Let’s get this over with then.”

The sound of a bell halted him in his steps. Mark pulled out his phone from his pocket and grinned as he read the message on the screen. He stood, following Jinyoung as they walked through his home.

“It seems Yugyeom and the boys are here too.”

Jinyoung nodded, leading the way to his office as he listened closely to Marks following steps. He dragged his feet, his shoes scuffing the hardwood floors. Did he always drag his feet?

“I hope Yugyeom has good news. I would hate to put a bullet through JB.”

Jinyoung watched as the security lining the halls tensed at Marks nonchalonce. He spoke so easily of killing their boss, they were offended. Jinyoung couldn’t lie, he was slightly offended as well.

“It wouldn’t do you any good to threaten my boss.”

A dark chuckle followed the warning. Mark seemed to be enjoying the atmosphere he created. He enjoyed watching the security act nervous around him, and he enjoyed the maids avoiding his gaze. Jinyoung held back the urge to bite his lip in frustration. He wouldn’t feed into Marks sadistic tendencies.

“And why is that?”

Jinyoug halted abruptly, pivoting on his heel to face Mark directly. He kept his gaze steady as his eyes met clear brown. “Because a threat to the boss is a threat to me, and I won’t hesitate to put a bullet straight through your brain before delivering your dead body to your father.”

Tension rose but Jinyoung held his ground. He wasn’t named underboss for show, but Mark had yet to fully see what he was capable of. He might like the man, but he wasn’t a push over, nor would he tolerate the disrespect.

“It would seem Jaebeom has surrounded himself with good men.” Mark's gaze softened as he stuck his hands in his pockets, his gaze quickly shifting to the security in the hall. He rocked on both feet. “My threat still stands, but I’m glad that he was able to find someone he trusts to watch his back, especially after I left.”

Jinyoung blinked in confusion as Mark looked away, passing him as though he knew where he was going. Jinyoung turned to follow closely behind.

Silence settled between them as they walked. It felt as though the walk to the office was longer than normal. It could be Mark walking nonchalantly in front of him, or it could be his mind reeling in thought. Jinyoung wondered if Mark would have left Jaebeom's side if given the option, before being told about his mother's death, and he wondered how different the family would have been had Mark taken control. Would Mark have become the underboss, or would he have become the boss?

JYP wouldn’t have liked that. He had always planned on Jaebeom taking his position, but as Raymond and JYP were even in terms of power, and Mark was associated by blood, would he have been the one to take over due to bloodline?

They reached the office, Mark stopping at the door and allowing Jinyoung to walk in first. Mark followed behind, shutting the door behind them. Youngjae sat at his computer while Jaeboem scanned through the books he knew were recently brought. It was oddly domestic.

“Stop downloading games onto my computer.” Jinyoung spoke, smiling as Yongjae froze in his chair. Jaebeom turned to regard him, sending a small look of acknowledgement before settling his gaze on Mark. He leaned his back against the bookshelf, arms crossed over his chest. He was guarded, most importantly, he was making sure Youngjae was as well.

“I can’t help it.” Youngjae whined, lifting his gaze to meet Jinyoungs. His fingers continued moving the mouse. “You have nothing fun, not even a generic computer game.”

Jinyoung chuckled, taking further steps into the room. He moved out of the way slightly for Mark to enter the younger man's direct line of sight.

“Hey! I know you!” Youngjae called, standing to his feet and pointing a finger at the older man. Jaebeom raised a brow in curiosity while Jinyoung turned, sparing a glance between the two. “You gave me Coco!”

Coco? Youngjae's dog? But Youngjae had gotten Coco 5 years ago. Had Mark made contact with Youngjae knowing about his relationship with JB? It wouldn’t be surprising if he had. Jinyoug scrunched his face in confusion before a commotion sounded outside of the office door. It was pushed open without warming, forcing Mark to step closer to Jinyoung.

He smelled like vanilla.

“JB, tell Bambam that just because he’s staying with me doesn’t mean he can redecorate my house!” Jackson yelled, leading the other two into the room behind him.

Bambam rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest as Yugyeom chuckled behind his hand. He looked positively thrilled at the debate going on between the two. Jinyoung wasn’t surprised. He had always been amused by Jackson and Bambams antics.

“If I have to stay there I should be able to redecorate the room I’m sleeping in!” Bambam snapped back, glaring at Jacksons back.

The room erupted in chaos. Bambam and Jackson bickering about what should and shouldn’t be allowed, Yugyeom laughing loudly, throwing in jabs at Jackson to antagonize the argument, Mark smiling at Youngjae as the man offered to show him pictures of Coco. It wouldn’t be long before Jaebeom snapped. Jinyoung could feel a migraine form.

“Enough!” Jaebeom barked, bringing the room to complete silence. He stood from the bookshelf, dropping his arm from his chest. He took a few steps forward, standing directly beside Youngjae.

“Not until you tell Jackson that he’s wrong.” Bambam scoffed, pouting his lips in defiance.

Jinyoung felt as though it were old times. It reminded him of the rebellious Bambam they had taken in. His heart swelled at the sound of Yugyeom's giggle.

“I said that was enough.” Jaebeom ordered, his eyes narrowing in irritation. His voice was firm, leaving no room for debate. He was commanding the room. Jacksons mouth remained shut and Youngjae slowly sat back down in the chair.

“I don’t have to listen to you, you’re not my boss anymore.” Bambam taunted, eyes narrowing. He met Jabeoms gaze head on, refusing to bend to Jaebeoms will.

“Now that we’re all here.” Mark spoke, halting Jaebeom from replying. His grin was wide as he reached over to uffle Yugyeom's hair. He sent asharp glance to Bambam, effectively shifting his aura. The defiance flushed out of his body instantly and he calmed. “I suggest we get started.”

He moved briskly, grabbing hold of Jinyoungs hand as he pulled him to follow. Jinyoung allowed it, sitting next to the older man on the couch. Jinyoung didn’t know why Jabeom had chosen the office instead of the conference room but he supposed it didn’t matter.

Bambam sat to Marks right while Yugyeom opted to sit on the couch placed directly in front of them, Jackson sat to his right. Jinyoung looked around the room. The tension was so thick Jinyoung could slice it with a knife.

“Gyeom, wanna share what you found?” Mark asked, smiling as the youngest smiled in return. His eyes remained glued to Mark.

Jinyoung idly wondered how long it took their level of trust to form.

“On the night of your mother's death, Jaebeom was with Sohee, far away from the site. The only one who was with your mother on that night was JYP. It’s suspected that he-”

“Then I’ve been lied to.” Mark cut through, effectively cutting Yugyeom off. The younger man's mouth snapped shut. What he was about to say was for Marks ears only. Mark turned to regard Jaebeom who returned the gaze. Their minds were working overtime. “I’ll help you find my father.”

Jaebeoms eyes narrowed, skeptically glancing at Bambam and Yugyeom before standing straight. He pulled a pen from Jinyoungs desk, clicking the pen as he thought about the next step.

“And the information on Jackson that I asked for?” Mark kept his gaze on Jaebeom as he asked the informant. Jackson tensed at the mention of his name.

Anticipation raised in Jinyoungs veins. Jackson had told him the contents of the folder Mark had handed him the other day. He had been distraught. The names, locations, and current pictures of the men who had killed his parents filled the folder and Jackson had lost control in a fit of rage. It had taken Jinyoung hours to calm the man down. Mark had told the truth in regards to JYP not fulfilling his end of the bargain. Jackson had every right to be furious, but he had still confirmed that he would remain loyal to Jaebeom and Jinyoung. Jaebeom wasn’t their previous boss. Jaebeom would never lie to manipulate someone he considered family.

“The-” Yugyeom hesitated, glancing at Jackson and offering a bitter smile before turning back to Mark. “The men who killed Jackson's parents were hired by JYP.”

Jinyoung blinked, his mind refusing to register what he had just been told. He glanced at Jaebeom to confirm he had heard right only for his heart to drop to his stomach. Jaebeom looked just as blindsided as Jinyoung was. He turned to Jackson.

“Are you sure?” Mark's voice was low as he spoke, almost soothing.

“I am. Jackson's parents owed him a debt and had been on the run. The men who killed Jackson's parents were a part of rough members who JYP paid to collect debt. They disbanded after JYP died.”

Jinyoung kept his gaze focused on Jackson. The man looked stunned, his fists clenched in his laps as he sat wide eyed. Jinyoung wanted nothing more than to hold the normally happy man in his arms and promise that everything was going to be okay, but he couldn’t do that. Jackson worked for the family responsible for his parents death.

“Permission to kill them all.” Jackson spoke through clenched teeth. Fire burned in his eyes. He wanted revenge and he wanted it now. He wouldn’t allow another day of his parents' murderers to run free. If JYP couldn’t make good on his end of the bargain, Jaebeom would.

“Granted.” Jaebeom allowed, his eyes softening as Jackson stood to his feet. His fists remained clenched as he headed to the door.

“Take Bambam with you.” Mark called, stopping the man in his tracks. He turned to look at Mark but the need for revenge was the only visible emotion. “You’ll need the backup and you work well together.”

Jackson turned to look at Bambam as he stood from his seat and he nodded. He left the room without another word, Bambam hot on his trail. With Bambams help, and Yugyeom's information they would be back within the week.

“Thank you.” Jaebeom spoke. He rubbed a hand through his hair as he moved to stand in front of Jinyoungs desk. He leaned against it. “You’ve always looked out for him.”

“He’ll always be the kid who fell off of the swing.” Mark's lip twitched into a small smile. “He deserved to know the truth.”

Jabeom nodded.

Jinyoung watched the interaction. He never would have thought things would turn out as they had. The hatred that was nearly palpable between the three had simmered into nothing. He knew that Mark would never join their family, but this seemed to be the closest they would ever get to old times.

Abruptly, Youngjae stood from the desk. 4 pairs of eyes turned to watch him as he moved to the couch, sitting next to Yugyeom and directly in front of Jinyoung. His eyes narrowed as he glanced between the two sitting in his line of site. “Are you two fucking?”

Jinyoungs face burned hot with embarrassment as laughter filled the room. Jaebeom and Yugyeom laugh hard enough to be heard outside and Mark grinning in amusement. Youngjae kept his gaze firm. He had been serious with his question and he wanted answers.

“I wish.” Mark laughed out his answer, shifting out of the way as Jinyoung moved to hit his arm.

“No, Youngjae, we’re not.” Jinyoung denied through clenched teeth.

“Why? There’s definitely tension between you two.” Youngae spoke as though he was pointing out the most obvious thing in the world. Jaebeoms laughter died down to chuckles and a mischievous glint lingered in Yugyeom's eyes.

Jinyoung prayed the younger man kept his mouth shut.

“Mark likes Jinyoung, but Jinyoung is playing hard to get.” Yugyeom said matter of factly, grinning wide at Youngjae who held a finger to his chin as he thought about the new information.

“They’ve already been on a date, and they probably would have been more had Mark's identity not been revealed when it had.” Jaebeom offered. He raised his hands in surrender as Jinyoung glared at him, promising death.

Yugyeom was already antagonizing the conversation, he didn’t need Jaebeom adding in his input. Youngjae had always been too blunt for his own good.

“You should have a talk about it. I like Mark. He gave me Coco so he has a good heart.” Youngjae nodded his head, leaning his back on the couch as he grinned, sending a look to Jaebeom before returning his gaze to Jinyoung.

“We will, later today.” Mark offered, smiling softly at Youngjae as he did. Jinyoung raised a brow. Mark seemed soft on the man. And what did he mean by they would? “I’m glad you kept Coco. I was worried.”

“How did that happen?” Jaebeom questioned. Youngjae had left for coffee one day and returned with a puppy. No one knew where Coco came from but no one really questioned it either. Youngjae loved the pup, they wouldn’t take that away from him.

“I was outside of a pet shop looking at the animals through the window when he suddenly appeared with Coco. He asked if I wanted a dog and I told him I did but I probably couldn’t get one.” Youngjae smiled as he told the story. “I told him that I had always wanted a dog but my parents had always been against animals and I was too nervous to tell you guys what I wanted. He put Coco in my arms, told me her name, and told me to take care of her before he left.”

“I hadn’t actually intended to give him Coco, but he looked so pitiful staring at the puppies playing in the window.” Mark spoke, leaning back on the couch and spreading his arm to rest behind Jinyoung. “I only approached him because I wanted to know the type of man who attracted JB’s interests.”

Youngjae blushed as he sent a shy smile to Jaebeom who returned the look with a soft smile before narrowing his eyes at Mark.

“You were spying on me?”

Mark sighed, waving his hand in dismissal. “I was just curious. You were always so serious when we were kids, I thought you were destined to die alone.”

“You’re one to talk.” Jaebeom bristled at the jab. “I had to be serious with how flamboyant you were.”

Mark shrugged, grinning at Jaebeom who calmed enough to return the smile. It was interesting to see. Their conversations always flowed so easily when together, even if they were at odds, but now that the misunderstandings were settled it seemed as though they were still the same friends they were before the death of Dorine Tuan.

Speaking of, they had gotten off topic.

“How are we going to find Raymond?” Jinyoung questioned, putting them back on topic. They needed to start on how to stop the man before he planned another attack. They already knew he was more interested in finding Mark, but there was no telling how long that would last.

“Easy.” Jaebeom said, sharing a look with Mark.

“You’ll use me as bait.” Mark finished.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi~ It's been a while. I haven't been able to write lately. With everything going on in America I just couldn't. I think what really helped me get this chapter out is that I needed a break from reality and I hope that it could offer all of you one too. 
> 
> Personally, I'm on the fence about this chapter, but I like Youngjae here. I feel like I've neglected him so much in this story D: I'm thinking the next chapter will be centered around him. After that you'll know the backgrounds of 6/7 boys. The climax of the story should be in the next 3 chapters which means this story will probably go one for maybe 5, possibly 6 more chapters. 
> 
> Thanks for all the patience you all have given me and another thanks for the comments. You guys don't know how much it inspires me to write more. <3


	23. Sun Shine State

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: This chapter has mentions of child prostitution(?); maybe child rape.  
> Nothing graphic, but it is implied.

As a child he was quick to learn never to ask for anything. It was the most important rule his older sister had instilled in him before she disappeared, and it was the only rule he had never forgotten. There had only been one time he had asked for anything, a puppy he had seen left abandoned on the side of the road. He had only been 4 but his sister's reaction was automatic. She shielded him, standing in the way of their erratic father and senile mother as they tried to reach him.

It could also count as the first time Youngjae had seen so much blood. He was used to small wounds, bruises, split lips, black eyes, but this was something else entirely. His sister's arms had been bent back into an impossible angle, a cut that would eventually scar appeared over her eye, and she had coughed up enough blood to fill a cup.

Youngjae vowed to never ask for anything ever again, and he hadn’t. Before his sister left she would do her best to take care of him. She was only 5 years older than him so she often went without so that he could stay healthy. When he was hungry she would find him food, when he needed new shoes she would go out and find a pair, when he grew out of his clothes she would buy him some.

When she turned 14 she disappeared. Youngjae had wanted to ask about her but he knew he couldn’t. His parents had ignored him since her disappearance and he wanted to keep it that way. Though he was only 9, he knew how to take care of himself. His sister had instilled that in him as well.

“Now that your pathetic sister is gone it’s up to you to do her job.” His father had hissed one day. His sister had only been gone for 3 weeks and 4 days but the complaints of lack of money had increased. Youngjae hadn’t understood what his father meant until he was thrown into the back of his father's car and driven to a strange location.

It was confusing as a child to experience what he had that night. The man had been kind at first before the touching started. The pattern continued for a week before the man grew tired of his uncomfort and took what he wanted. His father had stopped complaining about money, but Youngjae had never hated anyone more.

“Are you okay, son?” A kind voice asked.

Youngjae looked up, a glare on his face as warning to the woman who approached him. He didn’t know her, and he wouldn’t trust her. He had learned on his own that he could never trust an adult. They did bad things and he didn’t want to be hurt anymore.

He pulled his knees closer to his chest as the woman kneeled in front of him. Her gaze searched his face, stopping momentarily at every cut and bruise that was displayed. His father had been upset and lashed out, accusing Youngjae of hurting himself in order to stop the customers from wanting him. His father didn’t remember his wife getting upset about dinner not being what she wanted. She had caused the bruise on his chin, he had caused everything else.

After a month with the same ‘customer,’ the man didn’t seem to care either way. He just wanted a child's body under him.

“How old are you?” The woman’s head tilted as she asked, her bangs sliding to cover the corner of her eye. Youngjae made note of the small scar the bang hid.

He remained silent, leaning to rest his chin on his knees. It was a cold evening, he should hide a jacket on the street for days like these.

“Would you like something to eat?” The woman tried again.

Youngjae's interest perked at the question. Food was what he wanted most. He had left the house without grabbing the small stash of cash his ‘customer’ often snuck to him before he was picked up by his father and he hadn’t eaten all morning.

He nodded his head, hesitating to believe the woman would feed him without expecting anything in return. He was confused as she just smiled, standing to her feet and offering her hand.

“Come, I live right around the corner. I’ll feed you and give you a jacket before you head back home.”

Youngjae eyed the hand before eyeing the woman again. The offer of food was too tempting to turn down. Slowly, he slid his hand into hers and allowed her to help him up. She held onto him gently, never tightening her hold in case he wanted to let her go but he didn’t. He held her hand until they reached an apartment complex he had never noticed before. It looked nothing like his parents house. It was cleaner, no broken windows and the grass surrounding the building was evenly cut.

He looked around the apartment with wide eyes, standing by the door as the woman made her way inside, shrugging off her coat and hanging it on a coat rack a few feet away from the entrance. It was bigger than Youngjae had thought it was. Smaller than his customers mansion, but bigger than he expected.

“Do you have anything in particular that you want to eat?” She smiled as she asked, standing by a door frame that Youngjae assumed led to the kitchen.

Macaroni and cheese, that's what he really wanted. His sister used to make it for him long after his parents had fallen asleep and he hadn’t had any since.

He shrugged in answer.

“Okay. Then I’ll make you something and you can look around. The living room is right there and the remote for the tv is on the couch.” She pointed to the room behind her and Youngjae nodded.

The living room was comfortable. It wasn’t spotless but it wasn’t junky either. Looking down at his dirty clothes and looking at the clean couch, Youngjae opted to sit on the floor. He was dirty, he didn’t want to make anything else dirty as well.

“You’re not allergic to anything are you?” The woman called, poking her head into the living room to ask.

Youngjae shook his head no as the woman once again disappeared. She was strange, she was nothing like the other adults he had encountered.

Looking to the side, he eyed the computer sitting against the wall. It was big, and looked new. His customer had a computer that he often worked on after he was done taking what he wanted and Youngjae had always been interested in it.

Standing to his feet, he walked to it. He touched the mouse, jumping when the screen lit up. Symbols, words, and numbers flashed across the screen and Youngjae was only more interested. He wanted to know what this was. What were the strange writings on the computer and what did they do?

He sat, mindlessly, on the chair and moved the mouse. He watched the pointer move on the screen and clicked, not understanding why nothing happened. He clicked the right button, watching in amazement as options appeared. He didn’t understand what anything it meant, but he wanted to.

“Are you interested in computers?”

The woman asked, coming up behind him. Youngjae jumped from the seat, yelping as he fell to the side and hit the carpeted floor. The woman scurried to help him, grabbing his arm to sit him upright.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.” She chuckled, helping him slide back into the chair. “I came to check on you while the food cooks and saw you interested in my computer.”

Youngjae blushed in embarrassment. He was embarrassed that he fell, and he was embarrassed he got caught messing with her computer.

“Would you like to learn how to use it?”

He did, more than wanting Macaroni. He wanted to know why the screen had strange things on it. It went against how he was raised to ask for anything but maybe he could, just this one time. If he was punished then it was a risk he was willing to take.

“I do.” He answered, watching as the woman's eyes widened slightly before her smile grew. She stood straight, clapping her hands once in approval and nodding her head. It wasn’t a reaction he had been expecting.

“Then I’ll show you. On two conditions.” She stuck her hand out, showing two fingers.

Youngjae felt his chest tighten. Was she going to want the same thing that man wanted? Was that the price he would have to pay for a meal and a lesson on computers?

“One, you tell me your name.” She smiled, putting one finger down. “And two, whenever you need a meal you come see me.”

Youngjae thought about it. The conditions couldn’t be that simple, but she seemed sincere. Something about her reminded him of his sister. He wasn’t sure he could trust her, but as it stood he had more to gain by agreeing. He could hardly say no to a free meal.

“My name is Youngjae, and I’ll come.” He watched as the woman nodded. He wondered idly if her cheeks hurt from the amount of smiling she did. “But I don’t know your name.”

“Byul. You can call me Byul”

And he had. Everyday he could, without fail he would go to her apartment. She always had a plate of food waiting for him and she offered him lessons on how to work a computer. It wasn’t long before the lessons became easier and hacking a website became hacking into a government network. It was fun, learning the tricks of the trade, and by the time he reached 16 he was well known in the hacking world.

He had located his sister, it was his first true mission after learning the basics of hacking. His parents had sold her off in order to pay off their debuts. Sadly, his sister hadn’t lasted long with her buyers. The cause of death on her death certificate was complications during childbirth.

The baby didn’t make it.

Youngjae held his laptop bag closer to his frame as he made his way down the busy streets. Byul had gotten him his own laptop a year after their lessons. She said a hacker was useless if he didn’t have the tools for it, but Youngjae knew it was really meant as a birthday gift. He hadn't told her anything more than his name but he had seen a page filled with his information. His full name, date of birth, siblings, and his parents' names. He had been skeptical at first but he didn’t mind. He didn’t want to answer the questions and she had the ability to find the answers on her own.

Reaching Byuls door, he took out his key and let himself in. He wouldn’t be able to stay for more than a few minutes because his father had another customer for him, but he had wanted to show Byul what he had found. His parents had wanted to sell him off when he turned 16 but boys had a longer life expectancy in this world than girls did. Girls ran the risk of pregnancy, boys didn’t.

“Youngjae, is that you?” She called from the living room.

Youngjae grinned, sliding off his shoes and jogging to the woman. He stopped, his smile dropping as unfamiliar faces greeted him. A boy sat on the couch, maybe a few years older than him. His eyes were as dark as his hair and his stare was interested as his eyes roamed over his frame. Youngjae felt judged as the gaze locked on his dirty shoes before the boy turned back to look as Byul, his gaze no longer interested.

An adult male sat by his side, his gaze uncaring as he eyed Youngjae. The man's eyes lowered to his computer bag before meeting his gaze. A glint shined in his eyes and Youngjae felt his blood run cold. He didn’t like the glint in the man's eyes. It wasn’t a look of a man he could trust and it scared him.

“Is this him?” The man asked, keeping his gaze locked on Youngjae as he asked Byul.

“Yes, this is him.” She smiled, offering Youngjae what little comfort she could before becoming him into the living room with a wave of her fingers. “Youngjae come, I want you to meet my boss and his son.”

Clenching his jaw tightly, he moved his feet, keeping his gaze down as he made his way over to Byul. She reached out, rubbing a hand down his arm as he reached her and he sat beside her on the love seat. She ruffled his hair before wrapping an arm around his shoulder.

“Youngjae, this is Park Jinyoung and his older son Im Jaebeom.”

Youngjae looked up to bow to the men in greeting. He moved the computed bag to his lap and wrapped his hands around the strap around his shoulder. He felt scrutinized. Why were these people here, what did they want?

“It’s nice to meet you.” He offered instead. Jaebeom tilted his head in interest but his father remained uninterested. It irked Youngjae slightly but he couldn’t bring himself to really be bothered. This was the first adult male who he was introduced to that didn’t want more than a few touches.

“Youngjae, I’d like to propose a deal.” The man spoke, ignoring his greeting completely.

“A deal?”

“More like an offer.” Byul interjected, sending a sharp look to Mr. Jinyoung as she turned her full attention to Youngjae.

“What kind of offer?” He asked, turning to meet her gaze. It seemed to be an offer Byul approved of so it was one Youngjae was willing to hear out. He could trust Byul. She had proven that many times over the years.

“This man, Jinyoung, would like to offer you a job.” She spoke slowly, annunciating every word so he didn’t miss anything. “He needs a hacker on his team, the best in the business and in the industry there is no one better than you.”

“What do I get in return?” He questioned, ignoring how the man sat a little straighter as he asked. He could see a dash of interest through his side vision but he pushed it aside. He wasn’t interested in this man, he didn’t care about him.

“A new family.”

Youngjae's head snapped at the answer, eyes widening as the man smirked at his own answer.

“I already have a family.” Youngae hissed. Sure, his family was shit, but it was still his. It was the only real thing he could claim as his own.

“A man who sells his daughter for some extra cash and sells his son to make a living is not a father, and a woman who does nothing but abuses the children she created cannot be called a mother. The only family you had died shortly after her 15th birthday.”

“Fuck you!” Youngjae screeched, standing to his feet, only to be pulled back down by Byul. Rage flooded through his system as his sister was mentioned. “You don’t know anything about me!”

“Youngjae, calm down.”

“No!” Youngjae jerked out of Byuls hold, turning to glare at the woman who had changed his life. “I don’t have to put up with this. I’m formally rejecting your offer, jackass.”

Turning on his feet, he marched out of the livingroom and out the front door, ignoring Byuls calls. His eyes burned as he made his way down the street, only stopping when he was far enough to catch his breath. He was beyond the point of anger. So the man had obviously done his research but he still didn’t have a right to shove it in his face.

Reaching up to rub his watering eyes, he failed to notice the boy from earlier had followed him out, coming to a halt after standing in front of him.

“What do you want?” Youngjae hissed, glaring at the older boy. He didn’t have time for this, he needed to get home before his father lost his mind.

“Sorry about him, he can be a bit insensitive at times.” Jaebeom offered, tilting his head slightly as he reached to wipe a tear from Youngjae's eyes. “A jackass, as you said.”

“I don’t care, he has nothing to do with me.” Youngjae pushed him away, shoving past him and heading home.

“Truth be told, hiring you was Byuls idea.” Jaeboem spoke as he followed behind him. “She's sick, hasn’t been given long to live apparently. She wanted to make sure you were taken care of when she was no longer around to do it.”

Youngjae stopped, eyes wide as the words registered. Byul was sick? She was dying? It wasn’t possible. She was the last good thing in his life. What was he supposed to do if she was no longer there to offer him a warm meal and a kind hug? Was he destined to live a miserable life?

“I know it’s hard to hear, but it’s the truth. My father seems a bit arrogant and he’s not the best with words, but he has a habit of taking in kids who need help and giving them a leg to stand on.”

Slowly turning, he eyed the other boy. There was nothing but honesty in his tone as he spoke. “What do you mean?”

“The last boy my father took in, his name is Jinyoung too. He was kicked out of his house when he turned 16. My father found him and he’s been living with us for about a year. Before that was Jackson. Jackson is a friend of mine whose parents were killed. Then there’s me. He adopted me after my mom’s death too. I’ve been with him since I was 5.”

“Are you telling the truth?” Youngjae asked, voce low. “Is Byul really sick?”

Jaebeoms eyes softened. He didn’t answer verbally, but the gaze was enough to confirm his fears. She really was dying. How much longer did he have left with the spunky woman?

“We can go back so you can ask her yourself.”

“I can’t” Youngjae struggled, swallowing the lump in his throat. Had it always been this hard to breathe? “I have to go home. My father-”

“Are you sure? I know you’re going through a hard time, but if you accept my fathers offer you’ll never be touched without your consent again.”

“He’ll be upset. It-”

“You’ll never have to see him again either. I can promise you, on everything I own, that I will make sure you are taken care of and never forced to see your parents, or sell your body ever again.” Jaebeoms tone was firm. “If you want, we can also find them men who caused your sisters death and make them pay for everything they’ve done.”

Youngjae dropped his eyes, looking at his computer bag. “You won’t have to worry about that. I planted evidence and changed their verdict when they were arrested. They were put to death.”

He hadn’t been proud, and he hadn’t told Byul, but he would never regret it. The men who touched his sister deserved a punishment worse than death but death was all he could offer.

“You definitely have the making of someone in this family.”Jabeome whistled, impressed. Youngjae looked back up at him. He had expected a different reaction. “Come, let’s go back. I think you have an offer to accept.”

Jaebeom held out his hand, his gaze soft as he waited patiently for Youngjae's response. He didn’t like the older man, and he wasn’t completely sold on taking the job, but if accepting offered a little relief of the life he had been forced to live then he should take it.

“Fine, on one condition.”

Jaeboem raised a brow, hand still raised.

“I stay with Byul until she dies. I don’t want to be separated from her until I have to.” It was the only condition he would never let go of. Byul had been the light in his life after his sister. He wouldn’t leave her until he had no choice.

“I’m sure my father would be okay with that. You can work from anywhere, all you need is a computer.”

Youngjae grabbed the hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have new readers, and that makes me very happy. Forever grateful for all of you who have been with this story since day one, and those of you who have joined along the way. You guys are the best. 
> 
> How do you like Youngjaes chapter?? I like his interactions with JB. They're cuties. 
> 
> I mapped out my chapters so hopefully, if my map is correct, I should have 28-29 chapters, depending on how I want to end this.


	24. Mishandled Plans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is rated M. I think most of you will love this chapter while th most of you will also be mad at me by the end. Keep in mind that I haven't written a chapter like this in YEARS. You've been warned. Enjoy.

Jinyoungs mind wondered as Mark scoped out the books on the book shelf. The others had left shortly after Jaebeom and Mark had explained their plan, a plan they seemed to come up with as they spoke, their harmony on full display. Yugyeom had been visibly upset, calling Mark selfish for putting himself in danger without putting any thought into how he or Bambam would react should something go wrong. 

Youngjae and Jaebeom had tried to console the boy by guaranteeing Mark's safety but Yugyeom didn’t care. He was erratic, standing to his feet and yelling at Mark who calmly listened to his concerns. All he offered was a smile and an ‘I understand’ before the younger man deflated. He already knew Mark’s mind was made up, there was no changing it. 

Jinyoung eyed the man's back as he pulled out a book, looking at the title before opening at and scanning through the pages. He was calm, the same calm he was when the others arrived, and the same calm he was when they left. It seemed hardly anything deterred the man while in public. 

“Are you sure you want to put yourself directly in front of your father?” Jinyong questioned, watching as Mark slammed the book shut before putting it back in it’s space and pulling out another. 

“Why? Are you worried about me?” Mark teased, though his tone was slightly off. Jinyoung could hear the worry. It wasn’t prominent, but it was there. Mark always seemed to let himself be a little less conscious when in private. 

He was worried, though he wouldn’t admit it. There were too many holes to their makeshift plan. Jinyoung wouldn’t let either of them go through with the plan until they flushed it out more. Youngjae had offered a tracker as an extra line of protection, but there was no guarantee it would find Mark wherever he was, nor was there any guarantee that Raymond wouldn’t remove it. 

Jinyoung frowned. They had until Jackson and Bambam returned to establish a better plan or nothing would work. Bambam would lose his mind the same way Yugyeom had, and Jackson probably would be no better. Jackson hadn’t said it verbally, but once he returned he would probably see Mark the way he had before he left. 

“What would you do if he were to take you and we didn’t know where you were?” Jinyoung questioned, avoiding answering the question. It was his biggest concern about their plans. He didn’t want anything happening to Mark and the thought of his being in his father's grasp without Jinyoung knowing where he was caused an ache in his chest. Jinyoung hadn’t expected to like the man as much as he did, but his charm had a strong hold on him. Jinyoung wasn’t ready to lose that just yet. 

Mark closed another book, placing it back in his spot as he fingered the spine of a different one. “Then I’ll wait for my knight in shining armor to come rescue me.” 

The teasing in his tone had lessened, replaced with a hint of seriousness. Mark probably shared the same thoughts as Jinyoung. He was probably just as worried at the thought of being trapped with his father. He knew that if his father got to him he wouldn’t be able to escape by himself again. 

“And if your knight doesn’t make it in time?” Jinyoung would try, and he would never stop looking for Mark, but he was only human. This wasn’t a fairy tale where the prince always managed to save the princess in the end. He wasn’t a prince, and Mark wasn’t a princess. 

Dropping his hand to his side, Mark turned. His gaze soft as he looked at Jinyoung. “I’ll trust that you will.”

A silence fell on the room. Mark turned back to the bookshelf, continuing to finger the spines of books without pulling them out while Jinyoung thought about the possibilities. For the first time in his life he wished things would have turned out differently. He wished Mark wasn’t the son of their greatest threat, and he wished he had met Mark under different circumstances. It wasn’t fair, but Jinyoung had learned a long time ago that life never was. 

“I don’t want anything to happen to you.” Jinyoung whispered before he was able to stop himself. Mark may not be the most important person in his life, but he was special. He had his own lane away from everyone else. 

Mark turned, a frown on his lips. He stepped away from the books, making way to Jinyoung and kneeling down in front of him. He grabbed his hand in his own and held them to his lips. “I trust you and JB not to let anything happen. If I didn’t trust you I wouldn’t be here, I would have left with the kids last year when the rumors of my fathers return started.”

Jinyoung stared down at the eyes latched onto him. Mark was assured in his words and there was a plea for Jinyoung to believe him. Jinyoung felt his ears burn as lips touched his hand. This was intimate, the most intimate he had ever been with another person. His heart thumped in his chest and butterflies flew. 

“But-”

“Are you always this negative?” Mark cut, squeezing his hand in comfort, pulling the hand to his lips again, his gaze never leaving Jinyoung. 

“No, I’m realistic. You’re father is crafty, he has been since he showed up. He’s dodged us at every angle and he’s not one to take things sitting down. I wouldn’t be surprised if he has a counter plan already in place.” 

Jinyoungs greatest attribute to the family had always been his ability to think things through. He was smart and always looked at the whole picture. In theory their plan was perfect, but once you added in the variable of Raymond things became muddled. Jinyoung wasn’t willing to risk Marks life in order to stop the man. 

“Fine, then I’ll make you a promise.” Mark smiled, looking down at his hand and playing with Jinyoung fingers. He glanced back up. “I’ll be extra careful and I won’t go anywhere without you. I promise I’ll keep away from my father until our plan is good enough to put in motion.”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep.” Jinyoung whispered. Mark’s chuckle told him how pointless the promise truly was, though it did well enough to quell Jinyoungs nerves for the moment. Mark staying by Jinyoung's side at least ensured him that Jinyoung would always know where he was. 

“Well, there is a promise I know I can keep.” Mark smirked, biting the back of Jinyoungs hand, his gaze dropping seductively. “I can promise to make you feel nice.”

Lust stirred in the pit of Jinyoungs stomach. He knew Mark was trying to take his mind away from the worry, and at the moment Jinyoung didn’t really care. All he really cared about was the offer that gaze promised. 

He licked his lips. 

“I-” 

The sound of his desk phone ringing cut him off. He groaned as Mark sighed, backing away from Jinyoung to make room for him to stand. The atmosphere had been perfect. Mark had been in the perfect position, and Jinyoung didn’t have anything to do but let Mark have his way. Sadly, it seemed the universe was against Jinyoung getting laid. 

He answered the phone. “What?”

_“Sorry sir, I know you’re off today but we have a bit of a problem.”_

“What problem?” Jinyoung flinched as an arm wrapped around his stomach, a hand caressing him as a warm breath warmed his neck. Jinyoung turned his head to look at the man currently placing small butterfly kisses on his neck. 

_“There’s been an attack on the warehouse.”_ Jinyoung bit his lip to hold back a moan as the lingering hand lowered, sliding under his shirt as the kisses became subtle sucks. _“Some of our shipment has been stolen.”_

“How?” Jinyoung hissed in place of his moan as Mark's hand made its way down lower, cupping him through his slacks and massaging the growing bulge. Jinyoung eyed the hand as it unbuckled his pants and undid the zipper. 

“Turn around.” Mark whispered in his ear, biting at his lobe as he did. Jinyoung complied, slowly turning in Mark's arm, sitting halfway on the edge of the desk. His breath quickened at the mischievous glint in the older man's eyes. 

_“It was an ambush. We were loading the-”_

Jinyoungs lost focus of the words of his subordinate as Mark placed butterfly kisses down his chest as he lowered to his knees, unbuttoning his shirt as he went. Mark smirked, the mischievousness only growing as he slid Jinyoungs pants down and letting it pool at his feet, lowering his underwear with it and freeing his hardened member. Jinyoungs breath skipped as the cool air hit him. 

_“Boss?”_ The subordinate asked, worry evident in his tone. 

Jinyoungs breath hitched as a wet tongue rubbed at the tip of his shaft. He bit his lip, keeping his gaze locked with Marks. 

_“Sir?”_ His subordinate tried again. 

“What was stolen?” He questioned, humming as Mark continued licking him, one hand holding his shaft while the other slid behind him, his fingers massaging Jinyoungs ass. He lifted his leg, letting it rest over Mark’s shoulder as he perched himself on his desk. He didn’t want to risk his legs giving out while on the phone. It was hard enough to keep quiet. 

“ _2 shipments. One filled with-”_

Jinyoung should focus, he needed to focus, but as Mark's mouth engulfed him he found it a pointless task. He pulled the phone away, moaning as the sensation of warmth sent a wave of pleasure through his system. His head fell back and his hand automatically moved to grab hold of Mark's hair, grabbing firm as Mark began to move, bobbing his head at a slow pace. 

“Shit!” He hissed as a finger entered him, moving in and out of him as Mark continued to bob. The voice on the other end fell silent. Jinyoung thanked the gods for the timing, the man probably thought the outcry was due to anger. “Who did it?”

He looked down, meeting Mark's gaze as his breathing quickened. The man smirked around him, his look instantly turning innocent as another finger was pushed in. He worked his hole, moving his fingers in a scissoring motion as he continued his ministrations with his mouth. 

_“We don’t know sir.”_

It had been such a long time since Jinyoung felt this type of pleasure. He tightened his grip on Marks hair, pushing himself deeper into the warm mouth and holding him there. His body was hot, only warming more at the moan Mark released at the force. 

“How many were there?”

His hand moved, guiding Mark’s head to move at a faster pace. He placed the phone between his ear and his shoulder, allowing the hand holding the phone to join the other. Mark met his gaze, pushing in a third finger before pushing in the fourth. 

Jinyoung could feel a familiar sensation pooling in the pit of his stomach. He was close. 

_“We don’t know, multiple.”_

Jinyoungs eyes closed, his head leaning back and his toes curled as he held back his moans. Mark moved faster, his head bobbing faster as he alternated his speed in order to deep throat him.

“Find them.” He ordered, his voice coming out hoarse and his breathing staggered. He needed to get off the phone, and he needed to now. 

“But-’

“NOW!’ He yelled, nearly dropping the phone as his back arched. He could feel Mark chucking around his shaft, the sensation only adding to the pleasure. It was too much. The fingers, the heat. He couldn’t even focus on the call anymore. 

_“Yes, sir.”_

The phone dropped, clattering on the desk as the call ended. Jinyoung moaned, his pants filling the room as he was pushed over the edge. He tightened his grip on Mark's hair. “Mark- I-”

He couldn’t finish. He looked down, meeting Mark's eyes. He tried to pull the man away as he came, the man staying firm as Jinyoung released in his mouth. He called out, the building sensation finally being released. He shuddered, body going weak. 

Mark removed his fingers as Jinyoung finished his release, his head bobbing slowly as he pumped Jinyoung dry. 

“You-” Jinyoung stated breathlessly, caressing Mark’s cheek as the man released him. He swallowed everything given to him, not missing a single drop. “Shit.”

Mark chuckled, slowly standing to his feet, meeting Jinyoungs lips in a chaste kiss. Jinyoung scrunched his face at the taste. He normally didn’t allow kisses after someone swallowed his cum, but he would make an exception for Mark. 

“That was how our first night was supposed to go.” Mark teased, an amused glint in his eyes as his gaze lingered up and down Jinyoungs flushed body. He bit his lip, watching as Jinyoung attempted to control his breathing. 

He pulled the older man close, placing a swift kiss on his lips, one Mark eagerly returned.

“You made good on your promise.” Jinyoung leaned forward again, eyes closing as he placed a rough kiss on Mark's lips, forcing his tongue in the others mouth as he dominated the kiss. Mark allowed it, allowing Jinyoung to explore the caverns of his mouth before he abruptly pulled away. 

“I always keep my promises.” Mark whispered, reopening his eyes as he looked into Jinyoungs gaze. His tone was soft, breathless.

Jinyoung felt his heart ach in his chest. Mark wasn’t only talking about this promise, he was talking about the promise he made earlier. 

They reconnected, eyes reclosing as they allowed passion to take over. Mark pressed his body against Jinyoungs as they mingled, tongs dancing as they tasted one another. Jinyoung could feel the heat pooling on his lower half. Mark's sexyness mixed with the touches would have him hard again in no time. 

Mark hummed as Jinyoung used his shirt to pull him closer, nearly leaning over him as Jinyoung worked his belt off of him and unbuckling his jeans. 

“You sure you wanna do this here?” Mark asked, keeping his lips pressed to Jinyoungs as he cupped his ass, fingering his already prepared hole. 

Jinyoung pulled away, looking the man in the eye as if daring him to deny giving him what he wanted. He leaned up, placing a kiss on the man's neck, biting down gently before licking the wound. Mark moaned at the motion.

“I don’t think you can wait until we get to the bedroom.”

Mark scoffed, bucking his hips and causing Jinyoung to moan at the sensation. He was already hard again. Jinyoung would have found it embarrassing had it not been for the lustful way Mark scanned his body. His face flushed red, his body heating up as Mark raised a hand to his chest, using the pad of his thumb to caress a nipple. 

“Smart man.” Mark uttered under his breath. He moved quickly, dropping his pants as he lifted Jinyoung off of the desk. 

He stood on both feet, Mark exploring his mouth, forcing a string of moans from Jinyoung as he was dominated. “I don’t have a condom. So you can either drop to your knees or supply one.” 

Jinyoungs eyes opened, blinking as the delicious mouth left his own. A string of saliva still connected them. His breathing was heavy, his chest heaving as quickly as Marks. He turned, leaning over his desk and reaching into a drawer. He pulled out a condom, twisting back to Mark as he opened the package with his teeth. 

Mark raised a brow, his gaze covered with lust as he watched Jinyoung carefully. Jinyoung smirked, pulling the latex from the package and grabbing hold of Marks dick. The older man licked his lips, eyes lowering as he watched Jinyoung dress him. 

“You have-” Mark smirked, “condoms in your desk?”

“I got them when you decided to stay with me.” He flushed, avoiding Mark's gaze as it snapped to him in surprise. He had meant for it to be a secret but who cared. He was getting what he wanted. Fuck the universe and all of its efforts to stop this from happening. 

“I guess I wasn’t the one who couldn’t wait.” Mark chuckled, placing an open mouth kiss to Jinyoungs chin as he grabbed the others hips. He turned him, forcing him to bend over the desk. Jinyoung groaned as his chest was pressed to the hard surface of the wood. It creaked at the force.

“Fuck.” Jinyoung started, the words getting stuck in his throat as Mark pushed into him, filling him, forcing himself all the way in with one push. Jinyoung moaned loudly, his dick throbbing as it was pushed against the desk. His eyes closed at the sensation. “Mark- ah- I.”

“Shit,” Mark hissed, leaning over Jinyoung, placing soft butterfly kisses down his back. Jinyoung groaned, leaning up to remove his shirt. He wanted to feel Mark's lips on him. His shift was a hindrance easily removed. “Fuck, when was the last time-”

“Don’t ask stupid questions.” Jinyoung hissed, starting to rock his hips. He wanted Mark to move and he wanted it now. The pain mixed well with the pleasure. 

Mark chuckled, grabbing hold of Jinyoungs hips as he started to move. Slow, antagonizingly too slow for Jinyoungs liking. Mark seemed intent on torturing him.

“Move faster.” He whined, attempting to press back, only to be held still as the older man tightened his grip. 

“Say please,” Mark teased, leaning down to bite Jinyoungs earlobe. His breath was shallow. He was feeling it as well. Jinyoung could feel himself harden more at the sound. “I’ve always wondered what you would sound like begging.”

“Fuck you.” Jinyoung hissed in return, groaning as he eagerly waited for Mark to do more than he was. The only sensation he was granted was the dick in his ass and he craved more. He wanted Mark all over him. “I’m not begging for any- Ah!”

The sound of a slap sounded and Mark only chuckled as Jinyoung hissed in pleasure. Mark eyed the red ass, rubbing soothing circles on it. 

“Shit, that hurt.” Jinyoung hissed, leaning his forehead against the deck. His breathing coming out harder and his dick dripping. 

“You liked it.”

“I didn’t- Ah!” Jinyong moaned, words leaving his mind as Mark slammed into him. His thrust quickened, speeding up as he continued. Jinyoung grabbed hold of his desk as he was rocked into the rough surface. “Fuck!”

Mark's grip on his hips tightened, moving Jinyoungs hips to match his thrusts. His moans grew as they moved together, Jinyoung pushing back as Mark pushed forward. Mark grabbed hold of Jinyoungs shoulder, pulling him back, bending Jinyoung in an awkward position as he connected his mouth to Jinnyoungs, the younger man moaning loudly into the kiss and Mark's thrusts grew harder.

“Fuck! There! Right there!” Jinyoung cried as his spot was hit. He cried out in pleasure as Mark continued the abuse, pushing into Jinyoung harder as he relatched his lips to the man, forcing his tongue into the others mouth. 

The desk moved under them, rocking with every thrust. The sound of slapping skin, low moans, and breathless pants filled the room. Jinyoungs eyes clenched shut and Mark grabbed hold of his leg, lifting it to the desk as he changed their angle. Jinyoung nearly screamed into the others mouth at the forced pleasure. He wanted to beg for it to never end. Mark's name left his lips as though it were the only name he knew, the others moans only egged him on. 

“I’m so close.” He cried, reaching down to grab his neglected shaft, whining as it was slapped away. 

Mark groaned as he grabbed Jinyoungs neglected limb, removing Jinyoungs mouth from his own and letting him drop back onto the desk. His thrust became sporadic as he pumped Jinyoung, pumping fast and hard, matching every thrust with accuracy. Jinyoung could feel the pressure building up, begging to be released as he cried with every thrust.

The younger man grabbed hold of the desk, anchoring himself as Mark thrusted hard enough to move the desk, the legs scraping against the hardwood floor. 

“Mark- I need to-”

“Me too.” Mark panted breathlessly as he continued his thrusts, never once slowing down. His chest heaving as quickly as Jinyoungs, sweat only adding onto the passion. His body was hot, the passion masking the fatigue of standing for so long.

Jinyoung cried out, his back arching as his body tensed. He held it back, wanting it to last a moment longer, wanting to cum together. 

“Let it go, Jinyoungie.” Mark spoke, placing kisses on Jinyoungs back as he continued his thrust, timing lost as he reached his limit, his grip on Jinyoung dick loosening as he reached his limit. 

Both came, Jinyoungs body going weak as he silently cried in pleasure, and Mark holding his hands out to stop himself from falling on top of Jinyoung. Silence settled as they basked in the afterglow, both panting as though they had run a marathon. 

“Shit, we should have done this sooner.” Mark spoke, breathless. He pulled out slowly, taking care not to hurt Jinyoungs tender hole. He leaned down to place a kiss on Jinyoung lips, smiling as it was tiredly returned. 

Jinyoung groaned low at the loss of warmth. They should have done it sooner. In fact they should have a repeat right now. He turned his head, looking at Mark who looked down on him with a strange glint in his eyes. He wanted to move but his feelings hadn’t returned yet. He needed to clean off his desk and he prayed it wouldn’t stain. 

“I’m topping next time.”

“Sure.” Mark chuckled. “As soon as you get back from work.”

They kissed to seal the promise. 

####

5 days had passed and the sex had been good. Jinyoung felt as though a breath of fresh air had been breathed into him. By the end of the second day the whole house had been violated. It was constant. Everytime they were alone they were going at it like bunnies in heat. 

Jinyoung would never complain, though his maids had a hard time looking him in the eyes and his security had gotten better at hiding from him. 

Jaebeom had questioned him about their relationship after their last meeting. They had been hashing out the details of their plan and the leader had kept a close eye on them. He had noticed how close they sat, the subtle touches, and how they often looked for one another. 

Jinyoung had wanted to deny his accusations but Mark had been blunt, saying that his wish had finally been granted. Jaebeom had been stunned into silence as he looked between them with red cheeks and wide eyes. 

Youngjae had wanted all of the details, offering a play date with Coco as compensation, while Yugyeom had whooped in joy, congratulating Mark on obtaining his goal. He said Bambam would be proud while Jackson would probably tease them.

“Bambam called earlier, said they only had one more to go. Apparently Jackson hadn’t gotten much sleep.” Mark spoke from his seat across from Jinyoung, taking a sip of his iced coffee that was already more than halfway done. “Bam’s worried about him.”

They had decided to have a coffee date on his bedroom terrace after returning from Jaebeom’s house. It was late, nearing midnight, the maids had been dismissed for the night and security seemed scarce these days. Jinyoung appreciated the privacy but a feeling he couldn’t name nagged at the back of his mind. 

Something seemed off. 

“Understandable. He’s finally getting the revenge he always wanted. I’d be more surprised if he did sleep.” Jackson was the obsessive type. When he had a goal he obsessed over it and tended to lose sleep until it was accomplished. It could count as a weakness, but Jinyoung was often there to force Jackson to take a break. 

He took a sip of his own coffee, the bitterness warming his system. It had been a while since he last drank coffee so late at night. The last time he drank coffee so late was before he met Mark. It seemed like a decade ago.

Mark chuckled, leaning back in his chair as he eyed Jinyoung, his eyes glazing over briefly before taking another sip. He glanced down to his watch. “You have to be up early tomorrow.” 

Jinyoung groaned, hanging his head back as he thought about his busy morning. Meetings, business deals, Carpos, his schedule was full. He probably wouldn’t be home until late. He looked at Mark who raised a brow at the look. Hopefully Mark would be willing to help him relieve his stress. 

As if reading his thoughts, Mark smirked, his amusement on full display. Jinyoung knew what that look meant. Mark was willing to help him

The bedroom door slammed open, causing Jinyoung and Mark to jump from their seats. Mark moved first, grabbing hold of his gun before the man at the door fully made his way in. The man went down as another entered. Jinyoung's gun was aimed at him, 2 shots grounded the man. One to his chest and one to the head. 

Adrenaline pumped through his veins as he glanced over at Mark. A frown plagued his lips. Jinyoungs blood ran cold. He knew something was off. His security hid from him often but they were never this good. Was someone taking them out without him realizing? No, he glanced over to the bed, he had been distracted. 

Mark cursed, keeping his gun aimed at the door as he stepped into the house. 

“Where’s your phone?” Jinyoung asked, watching as Mark cautiously looked out of the room at an angle to see if any men were coming. Jinyoung followed him in, lowering his gun and walking to his dresser. 

“My room. Where’s yours?”

Jinyoung could feel Mark’s eyes on him as he moved. He had left his phone in the kitchen then he had fixed their drinks. He hadn’t expected to need it. He had been wrong. 

He placed the gun on his dresser and pulled out a forgotten phone. It was for emergencies only, he hoped Jaebeom still had his hooked up. There was only one number listed and if Jaebeom didn’t get there SOS they would be alone in their fight out of his home. 

He opened the flip phone, tensing slightly as Mark stood by his side, sending glances to him as he kept his eye on the door. 

The sound of gunshots rang before silence took over. Jinyoung turned, dropping the phone as he watched 3 more men stumble to the floor, Mark killing them before they could truly enter. He glanced at Mark who starred at him with wide eyes, grabbing onto his arms as he forced him to sit on the floor, leaning against the dresser. 

It was strange, he didn’t understand why Mark was acting as he was. He glanced down, watching as his shirt stained red. Had he always been wearing a red shirt?

The pain erupted at once, the right side of his stomach and his left shoulder felt as though a knife had gone through him. He had never been shot before. Why did it hurt so much?

“Shit.” Mark hissed, pulling Jinyoungs shift open to access the wounds. 

He coughed, Mark leaning over him, worried about the loss of blood. Jinyoung's eyes closed as he slumped over, feeling numb as the blood continued to leave his body. He held a hand to his stomach, slapping Mark away from him as the man fussed over him. He needed to keep an eye on the door.

“Go.” He coughed out, pushing at Mark. “Get out.”

Mark bit his lip, “I-”

“Now.” He ordered, pushing Mark away from him the best he could. Mark needed to leave, if he was caught before the plan was set then it would ruin everything. It didn’t matter if anything happened to me, he needed Mark to be safe.

Slowly Mark nodded, standing to his feet. He wanted to take Jinyoung with him, he wanted to make sure the man was safe, but he had to be smart about it. He needed to get away, he needed to reach Jaebeom. If this was his fathers doing then he needed to avoid being caught. If he was taken there would be no other leads to Raymond tuan. 

“Take my gun.” Jinyoung hissed out, his body aching at the pain. Mark grabbed the gun on the dresser, attaching it to his hip. Mark had already used enough of his bullets and there was no telling how many men lingered through his house.

Leaning down, he placed a kiss on Jinyoungs sweaty forehead, taking a deep breath as he stood. He moved to the door, streadying his gun. 

“Stay safe.” Jinyoung whispered, his vision turning dark as he fought for consciousness. The last thing he remembered seeing was Mark's hesitant smile before the man disappeared out the door. 

His last thoughts lingering on Mark's broken promise as the world faded black. 

He hoped he pressed send.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what did you think?


	25. Family Reunion

6 minutes, 23 seconds. That's how long it's been since his eyes opened. Seconds were counted in his mind as they attempted to adjust to the darkness of the room with no avail. He wouldn't even be able to see his hand placed in front of his face, not that he could even try. His hands were hanging over his head, chained to the wall he leaned on.

Taking a deep breath, he attempted to calm his panicked heart. Memories of the past plagued his mind. He had promised himself that he would die before allowing himself to be taken by his father again. He had broken his promise.

Moving his hand to test the chain, his heart continued to pound, his ears hearing nothing but the fast paced beat.

He cursed as he lost count.

He needed to calm down. Sure, things hadn't gone as planned, but that didn't mean they were at a total disadvantage. Hopefully the tracker that Bambam had given him was still attached, and if not he would have to find a way to persuade his father to unchained him. Finding out if Jinyoung was still alive was also a priority.

His heart felt as though it were ripped out of his chest as he watched the blood flow from the younger man's body. Flashbacks of his mother's motionless body invaded his mind. His breathing had become shallow as he attempted to apply pressure and his mind had stopped completely as the dying man begged for him to run. The last thing he had wanted was to leave him, but it was the only way to ensure his safety.

His father's men hadn't expected Mark to surrender his life for Jinyoungs, and Mark hadn't truly expected his father to agree.

The clacking sound of heels sounded outside the room and Mark's eyes squinted at the sudden light. His head throbbed instantly, reminding him of the men who knocked him out cold for easy transportation. That man would be one of the first to die once he was free.

"You've grown well. I almost didn't recognize you." Sohees voice was monotone as she spoke, a stark contrast at how she used to address him.

Mark winced. The woman had been a surrogate mother after his mother's death. It bothered him that she showed no emotion. "Hard to believe. I look just like my mother."

A double edged blade. His father had gone crazy with grief at the fact, but he was reminded of the kind woman every time he looked in the mirror. It was truly bittersweet.

"Yes. Your father will be pleased." A bitter smirk lingered on her lips as she walked forward, causing Mark to raise his head slightly as he continued to watch her.

She walked slow, her stride full of confidence with lack of concern. She stood directly in front of him before she bent, bending her knees to access his cuts. She rubbed a hand softly through his shaggy hair and pulled it away as he hissed in pain.

Blood stained her fingers. She sneered at the sight.

"You weren't supposed to be hurt. Your father will be very upset." Sohee eyed the blood before placing her hand on Mark's dirty shirt and wiping it off. "Lucky for you he shouldn't want to take it out on you. After all, the prodigal son has returned."

Mark blinked, confusion crashing into him in waves. This wasn't the Sohee that he had known. This woman was cold, uncaring, and calculating.

"Not as though I had a choice."

"You had a choice. You could have fled." Her tone was harsh.

"I couldn't."

"You should've. That boy is as good as dead." Mark winced at the sneer. Sohee was pissed. "He probably bled to death so your sacrifice will amount to nothing."

Mark felt himself calming down at the woman's ferociousness. An upset Sohee? He could handle that. As long as his father didn’t enter the room he could hold this type of communication. "Can you confirm that he's dead?"

Sohee paused, brow raising in disbelief as she stood to her feet. She walked to the other side of the room to flip the light switch. Mark's eyes adjusted quickly to the light as he took in his surroundings. It was a room similar to the room that held his loneliest and most painful memories. It was empty, cold, dark. The only other object in the room was a lone chair in the corner, similar to the one his father used to sit on to rest after finishing with Mark. He struggled to keep his breathing calm.

"Do you love that boy?" She questioned, walking to a lone chair placed in the corner. "Is that why you risked so much for him?"

Mark's lips remained firmly shut, his gaze impassive. It was already obvious how much he cared for Jinyoung. He would never openly admit it to his enemy.

"Is that why you told Sakura not to betray JYP? Because you didn't want that boy caught in the crossfire? Or was it because you had some shining hope that Jaebeom would be your friend again? They're mafia, they don't care about you. They only needed to use you." She chuckled, the sound condescending. "You throw away your life for those boys who would never do the same for you. They’re the enemy, our enemy, your enemy. I hope he bled to death before that piece of shit JB got to him."

Mark clenched his jaw, feeling as though he had been smacked across the face. He shifted slightly, his arms causing the chains to jingle over his head. He could keep his calm, holding back his reaction came naturally too him, and it had already gotten him this far in life.

"Wow Sohee, if I didn't know any better I would think you didn't miss me."

Uncaring, uncaring, uncaring. The word repeated in his mind as though it were the only one he knew. It was the only way to win this mental war Sohee was determined to have. He couldn't care for Jinyoung, he couldn't show it. Jinyoung walked with a target on his back. If he was about to live unharmed for as long as he had, he could survive a few bullet wounds.

"When did you become so pathetic?" She sighed, crossing her arms over her chest.

It struck a chord. His father had always called him pathetic while sitting in that chair. His breathing hallowed, the painful memories of holding back his tears as he was tormented pressed to the forefront of his mind. His eyes glazed over as he watched them play out. His body ached. He blinked.

"Probably around the time you became a bitch."

She scoffed, waving the insult away. She watched carefully as Mark fought through his memories. Her gaze was steady, Marks was slowly losing focus.

"This brings back memories, doesn't it?"

"The best kind." He hissed through clenched teeth, his breathing coming out in staggered pants. The room felt smaller. He blinked again, it was becoming harder to tell the difference from his past to his current. He knew it was Sohee, but he only saw his father.

"I see you still haven't gotten over your trauma." Sohees voice was firm, cutting through his hazy mind. "Your father will be pleased. He always liked how he was able to affect you."

Mark's eyes clenched shut. He repeated the mantra 'im fine,' as he attempted to calm his breathing. His father would be happy with his current state, he would be happy that Mark was still under his thumb regardless of how long they've spent apart. It made Mark nauseous.

"I see you've started without me."

Mark froze, his eyes snapping open, his breathing stopping at the sound of the gruff voice. His father stood, taking in his appearance with a gaze full of love. Mark felt nothing but fear as his body tensed up.

"Mark was just telling me how much he missed you." Sohee offered in the form of greeting, her tone full of sarcasm.

Raymond smirked, amusement in his eyes as he stepped closer to his son. Mark bit back his sarcastic rebuttal, bending his knees into his chest as he tried to mold into the wall.

"I'm sure I missed him more." Raymonds attention never left Mark, he lowered to meet the fearful gaze. Amusement became lust as he cupped Mark's chin, forcing him to raise his gaze. "Didn't I, son?"

Mark's heart nearly jumped out of his chest, his breathing caught in his throat. His jaw clenched before unleashing. He had to do this. "I missed you, father."

"You've always been a good liar." Raymond smiled, his gaze shifting to an emotion Mark never wanted to see again. He rubbed his hand through Mark's hair before gripping it with force. He yanked, the chains holding Marks hands jingling at the force. "Always telling me what I want to hear."

"Fuck!" Mark hissed, the pain intensifying his headache. The chains jingled as he strained his arms, attempting to somehow free himself to push his father away.

"You look just like your mother." Raymonds voice was cold. His eyes lowered to Mark's lips as he licked his own. Mark's blood ran cold. His father was an abusive bastard, but he had never… he was crazier than he last remembered. "We have a lot to catch up on."

Mark prayed Jaebeom would find him soon.

###

Jinyoung blinked, the sun warming his face as he attempted to blink the sleep away. He was tired and probably in need of more sleep, but the memory of Mark leaving the room halted his desire.

He looked around, feeling relief at the familiarity of the room. He was in a guest room, Jackson's guest room.

"Are you finally awake?" A quiet voice questioned.

He turned to the side, Youngjae sat at a desk, eyeing him with concern.

"How long?" His voice was scratchy. He swallowed in attempts to moisten his throat.

Youngjae stood, moving to grab a full glass of water sitting in the night stand. He held the straw, putting it to Jinyoungs lips as he drank.

"3 days. We were worried you wouldn't wake up." Youngjae pulled the glass away as Jinyoung did, putting the glass back onto the table.

"What…"

"You were shot in the shoulder and in the stomach. The bullet missed your artery by a centimeter and you almost died. Seulgi left not too long ago after checking your vitals. She and Irene were able to pull the bullets out and patch you up."

Jinyoungs eyes lingered on the man's tired face as he looked at the IV stuck in his arm. He flexed his fingers, feeling relief as they moved. A bullet hole to the shoulder hadn’t affected his motor skills. Groaning, he moved to sit up, Youngjae helping him along the way. He thanked the younger man as he settled.

His chest was bandaged, Jinyoung wondered how long he would need to wear them.

"Where are the others?" He questioned, watching as Youngjae returned to his seat. He looked as though he hadn't slept in days, though he still looked better than Jinyoung felt. "And Mark?"

The younger man tensed at the name, rubbing a hand across his face. "Mark is missing. I tried to track him but the tracker was thrown into the ocean. We don't know where he is."

Jinyoungs breath got caught in his throat. Mark was supposed to escape. He was supposed to get to JB before Raymond got to him. He pushed the worry down as thoughts of Mark flooded his mind. He couldn't afford to lose control of his emotion. He needed to keep a clear mind.

"Yugyeom has tapped all of his sources and is now going through Mark's list of men. Bambam is helping Jackson talk to other families for any information on where Raymond could be. Jaebeom is-"

The door swung open. Jaebeom stood with a frown on his face. He eyed Youngae before turning his attention to Jinyoung. He looked worse than the hacker, his bags were dark and his hair uncombed.

"What happened?" He questioned, skipping all formalities. His tone held a hint of concern, but it was overtaken by his irritation.

"Ambush." Jinyoung answered simply, ignoring how Youngjae tensed at their leaders' entrance. Something had happened while he was asleep and he wasn’t too sure he wanted to find out what. "We hadn't realized they were there until it was too late."

"Where were you that you didn't hear the first shot?"

Jinyoung blinked at the question. Was Jaebeom seriously interrogating him right now? Did he not watch his home's security footage? Was he asking because he was in disbelief at what happened? What could he have possibly seen that warranted such a reaction? "On the balcony. They had silencers."

Jaebeom's jaw clenched, his fists mirroring the motion. His gaze lowered to Jinyoungs chest before he turned, walking out of the room and slamming the door behind him.

"He didn't watch the security footage?" Jinyoung turned to Youngjae, eyes softening at the man's longing gaze. His focus was fixed on the door. If there was any doubt before it would be debunked now. Something definitely happened between the lovers. Youngjae looked absolutely pitiful.

"It was destroyed. The only reason we know what we do is because a maid was able to fill in some blanks before she died, which isn't much.” Youngjae sighed, rubbing a hand through his hair. “They came late at night, entering the home in teams of 3. They went into your room but only Mark came out. He made a deal and left willingly."

Jinyoungs blood ran cold. Mark had made a deal with his father's men? Was that why he was still alive? Was it why Raymonds men hadn't gone for the kill shot? It was the only plausible reason why Mark would willingly leave with his father's men.

His heart thumped heavily in his chest. He felt guilt, concern, and worry. All of the things he couldn't afford to feel at the moment.

"Jaebeom is beyond the point of exhaustion. The men are stretched thin and there are rumors that Raymond won't wait long until his next attack. We have to find them before that happens."

If Mark was taken by his obsessed father then he had more than enough reason to believe the older man was alive. Raymond wouldn't kill him after all he went through to find him.

Jinyoung clenched his jaw as his mind worked. He remembered Mark's tone when the man told him the full extent of Raymond Tuans cruelty. It had been gruesome, to say the least, but as they lay in bed, the only source of comfort Jinyoung could offer was to wrap his arms around the smaller man and hold him close.

It was the first and last time he had seen tears in Mark's eyes.

"And you?"

Youngae dropped his gaze, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "I've been given the task of watching over you. After finding out the tracker was gone, Jaebeom ordered me to stay by your side. Every time I leave the room we fight. He's not letting me do what I need to."

Jinyoung nodded. He could understand Jaebeoms concern for the man, but he also understood the risks of being in the mafia. Pulling the IV from his arm, he swung his legs over the bed, pushing Youngjae's hand away as the man tried to push him back into bed.

"Wait! You can't get up yet!"

Jinyoung ignored him, biting back the pain that shot up his back as his feet hit the floor. He stood.

"Seriously! Please lay back down!"

Jinyoung slapped Youngjae's hand away. He understood the concern, and he knew he probably should be resting for a few more days, but everyday he rested was an extra day Mark was tormented. He couldn't rest knowing that. They needed to find him, he needed to knock some sense into Jaebeom, and he needed to call the kids back to put them in order. He couldn't understand why they struggled to function without him.

Youngae followed him out of the room, fussing behind him in attempts to change his mind.

Jinyoung didn't care, he needed to get to Mark.

The door slammed shut behind them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm actually surprised by how many of you assumed Raymond would either take Jinyoung, or I would kill him off. lol. The comments were a high source of entertainment. Thank you for every one.


	26. Obsessed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Mentions of rape.

Jinyoung paced, his mind working in overtime as he thought their next line of action through. After he had forced his way out of bed rest, he had taken control of the operation. Jackson was placed in charge of making sure the Capos were well armed for any attack, Bambam was given his old position, instruction Bang and his men how to properly guard Jaebeoms house. Yugyeom was tasked with following the rumor mill as there was never smoke without fire, and Youngjae was in charge of tracing all credit cards, banks accounts, or any other unusual movements on the interwebs. Jaebeom would be overseeing them all with Jinyoung by his side.

As they normally were. 

They had fought, as soon as Jaebeom saw him step foot into his office. Jinyoung was just as worried as Jaeboem, perhaps more so since he had actual feelings for the missing man, but the last thing they needed was a leader who wasn’t clear minded. The argument had lasted 30 minutes, Jaebeom or Jinyoung almost biting off the head of anyone who tried to interrupt. 

The shouting match hadn’t been in vain. Jaebeom had relented, his shoulders dropping as his fatigue slowly began to show. The man was mentally drained. If he wasn’t willing to sleep a full 8 hours, he would have to, at least, take a nap. It was the only deal Jinyoung could force out of their leader. If their leader rested, then he wouldn’t do anything beyond his physical wellbeing. 

Jaebeom had slept 9 hours, Jinyoung had barely kept his promise. 

He listened as the office door opened, neglecting to watch as Jaebeom made his way to his desk. He sighed, leaning back in his chair with his arm resting over his eyes. 

“Yugyeom was contacted by someone who may know where Mark is.”

Jinyoung froze, turning to look at Jaebeom in anticipation. He walked closer to the desk, laying his hand palm flat as he leaned closer to the man. The man had his full attention. 

“Jessica Koh is her name. She was one of Mark's friends before he left for America, but I didn't really know her.” Jaebeom sighed again, leaning back farther into the chair. “I think they dated.”

Jinyoung felt his brow twitch. Irritation swelled up in his system and he resisted the urge to throw Jaebeoms desk phone at him.

“She said she’ll send us a clue but she couldn’t do or say much else before all contact disconnected.”

Dropping his arm, he leaned up on his desk. His eyes were more alert than they had been yesterday. The sleep had done him wonders and his efficiency had resulted in a more effective team. 

Jessica Koh, he would have to remember to ask Mark about her once they got him back. Not that it mattered. It wasn’t as though they were dating. 

“What kind of clue?”

“I don’t know, but I’m not sure if we should place all of our cards on her. She is working with Raymond from what Youngjae said, she has been since his return from America.”

Likely. She could be luring them into a trap. They wouldn’t put it past the American leader and they were in no position to deny the woman’s help. 

“How does he know that?”

“Because traces of her lessened by at least 75% when rumors of his return appeared. The only possible explanation is that she rejoined him.” 

Jinyoung rubbed a hand through his hair, moving away from the desk. He didn’t doubt Jaebeoms intuition, he had learned a long time ago that it would save them from many deadly situations, but there was still something strange about the girls willingness to help.

He turned, returning to pace small circles in front of the desk. He ignored Jaebeoms intense gaze. 

If it was a trap they would have to go with guns blazing. Raymond had an undisclosed number of men at his disposal, and though they had taken out a handful the night they were attacked, it was possible that those were only the expendables. 

“What are you thinking?” Jaebeom questioned, tone soft.

This was why they worked so well together. They listened to each other and held undoubtable trust in one another. 

“It could be a trap, but we have no other leads.” He stopped pacing. He looked over at Jaebeom and met his intense gaze before turning to take a seat. His body was starting to ache with the constant motion. He could play healed all he wanted, but if Irene saw him moving she would have his head. “I think we may have to take the risk. If not for finding Mark, then at least for finding Raymonds location.”

Jaebeom rested his chin in his hands, eyes losing focus as he got lost in thought. 

“It’s been 4 days.” Jinyoung whispered, pulling out a cigarette from his pocket and playing with the box between his hands. “I don’t know what Raymond is doing to him, but I’m not sure he’ll be able to withhold much longer. Mentally or physically.”

He was more worried about Mark than anything else. He hadn’t expected the older man to become so special when they first met, but now all he wanted was to find him and wrap his arms around him. He hadn’t realized it at first, but his feelings for Mark may run deeper than a crush and the idea scared him deeply. 

“We’ll find him, and we’ll kill all enemies. We always have, and we always will.”

Jinyoung nodded. They had always done what they had to do to remain on top. He didn’t know how they lasted as long as they had, but they were striving. 

“I found something!” Youngjae screamed, bursting into the office with a grinning Jackson on his tail. 

Jackson had been in a much better mindset once returning. From what Bambam had said Jackson had been abnormally irritated on their way to the man who killed his parents. Apparently, as Jackson put a clean bullet through the man who begged for his life and forgivenesses skull, his aura had changed instantly. He moved as though the ruthless killing they had endured for the last week hadn’t taken a toll on him and Bambam had worried, at least until he got the call about Mark’s abduction. 

From what Youngjae had said, Bambam had completely flipped his shit when he returned. Surprisingly, Jackson was the one to calm him down. He had told Bambam that he had once promised loyalty to Mark, and as of now he would follow that vow until he breathed his last breath. 

Jaebeom only nodded his head in affirmation. Their leader had never truly lost his trust in his oldest friend. When Jinyoung caught Jaebeom alone, he had called Mark his estranged brother that had finally returned. Jinyoung knew Jackson probably felt the same. 

The relationships between them seemed to mend with their common dedication to Mark. 

Jinyoung stood to his feet, following Youngjae as he walked to Jaebeoms desk to lay his laptop on the surface. 

“What did you find?” Jaebeom questioned, his eyes scanning the screen as he tried to understand what he was actually reading. Jinyoung was just as lost. 

“Transactions.” Jackson gladly answered. The grin on his face was wild, almost sadistic. Jinyoung wondered if he could already taste the blood of the men he would be able to gun down, or Raymonds head. 

“Mark’s?” Jinyoungs eyes scanned the screen. 3 new transactions, all from the same area. “How is Mark using his account if he’s with Raymond?”

“I don’t think this is him.” Youngjae answered, his fingers moving as he searched the location surrounding the area of the transaction. “This person bought a burger from a burger joint and money has never left this account. Mark only deposits money every two weeks.”

Then this was the hint Jessica said she would provide. Jinyoung took a step back, watching Jaebeom as he watched Youngjae work. He picked up the phone and dialed Yugyeom

 _“Hello?”_ the younger man answered, sounding breathless. Jinyoung really didn’t want to ask what he had been doing.

“Yugyeom, we may have a general location for Mark.” He looked at Youngjae and gave him an okay with his fingers before returning it to the keyboard. 

“ _Where_?” Yugyeom asked urgently. 

Jinyoung moved around the desk, moving to stand in Jacksons spot as the other man ran out of the room, phone placed to his ear. He was probably calling Bambam to meet him there as well. 

Jinyoung relayed the information as Youngjae told him. The younger man grunted in understanding. 

“Don’t move until Jackson and Bambam get there. It could be a trap.”

 _“I would walk through 100 traps if it meant getting Mark back.”_ Yugyeom scoffed, amusement in his voice. 

The mood of the members was at an all time high. Jaebeom stood to his feet, ruffling Youngjae's hair and congratulating him on a job well done. Youngjae had forgiven their leader as soon as he had woken up from his ‘nap.’

 _“I think I found where they have him. I asked some local kids and they said there was an abandoned building on the outskirts of town. They said they always see scary looking dudes coming in and out.”_ Yugyeom whispered. _“I was already in the area so don’t lecture me on not waiting”_

Jinyoungs mouth snapped shut. He had been about to lecture the reckless boy, just as he used to. Yugyeom may be a trained member under Mark, but he was still just a kid in Jinyoungs eyes, he always would be. He glanced up at Youngjae and Jaebeom who waited in anticipation. 

“We’ve found him.”

####

The pain was excruciating, worse than he remembered. He used to be able to handle the pain, grin and bear it was oftentimes how he managed the strain on his body. This, however, was a pain like no other. 

4 days, he had been in his father's care for 4 days. He had prayed to be wrong when his father dismissed Sohee from the room on the first day, but it was clear that his father no longer had any sanity left. He had been reduced to tears, begging and screaming as his father touched him in places a father should never touch their child, entering him as though they were reunited lovers.

It continued nonstop for the first 2 day, by the third day his father took pity on his motionless son, allowing his body a few hours of rest before starting with a new form of torture.

Mark felt violated. 

He hissed, turning from his side to lay on his stomach on the firm mattress. His shirt had been discarded, thrown to another area of the room as it had been shredded down to almost scraps of cloth. His back itched as it healed, the cool air slightly soothing the pain, blood still flowing from his wounds his father's whip left scraped across his back. Raymond had also become attached to a new toy. 

Mark had been moved to a new room. Just as cold, just as small, but the setup was more like an actual room. He had a bed, an empty dresser, and a small broken TV sat in the corner on the floor. It wasn’t homey, but it was better for his sanity. 

At least it wasn’t dark. If he had spent another minute in isolated darkness he would have snapped. 

His mind lingered. He didn’t know what he should focus on to keep sane. His father's true motives? Sohee's sudden change? Jaebeom? Jinyoung? He didn’t know, not that it mattered. The only thing truly pressing his mind was the pain his body felt everytime he shifted. His whole body screamed for relief. All he wanted was to sleep and not wake up until his body was ready. 

A knock on the door sounded and he refused to move. He stayed still as it opened and he closed his eyes, listening carefully to the padded footsteps. There was only one other person who came to visit him aside from Sohee and his father.

He held back a hiss as a cool cloth was laid on his back. The warm water soothed his pain but the cloth irritated his open wounds. 

“Sorry.” The girl whispered. 

“You’ve never apologized about it before, Koh.” Mark grumbled, hiding his face in his pillow. 

Jessica Koh, his oldert companion. His first crush, and first girlfriend. Mark was surprised when the girl appeared in his room, remembering that she had left the family after Mark's mother was killed. Her loyalty had always been to Dorine, she was the daughter his mother had always wanted. 

She was the only girl that he considered a friend, and at the time, the only person outside of Jaebeom and Jackson that he actually trusted. 

His list had somehow grown since then.

“I don’t want to miss a chance to say sorry before I'm no longer able too.”

Mark blinked, moving his head to meet his friend's gaze. Something wasn't right. Her tone was soft but the words were somber.

He sat still, bracing himself for whatever she had to say as she worked to disinfect his wounds. She had tended to him since yesterday, though it never mattered. His father would probably be back within the next two hours to reopen the slowly closing gashes and create new ones. 

“I have news.” She whispered. 

Dread filled his mind as he continued watching the girl who refused to meet his gaze. Whatever she had to say was probably worse than Mark was anticipating. 

“News?” He moved to sit up, ignoring the strain on his body as he faced Koh. Her eyes refused to move from the damp cloth between her fingers. 

“I may have made a way for Jaebeom to find you.”

"How?" He whispered. Mark's mind worked in overtime as he registered what he was just told. She had betrayed the family, or she was planning to. Mark gulped, she was planning on dying. That was why she was so somber.

“I gave them your wallet to some kids on the street and told them to grab some lunch.”

Mark clenched his jaw. If they used his cash then she wouldn't have anything to worry about, but she wasn't dumb. She'd been in the mafia for as long as he had. She was born into it. If she already had it set in her mind to die for his rescue then she would have removed the cash. She would have made a way for the purchases to be traced. If the kids didn't go to far, Yugyeom or Youngjae would find him in a matter if minutes 

“I took the cash out. I used it to pay for a tombstone." Jessica whispered. "Your mother already set up a plot for me. She always wanted us all buried together."

“Koh, you need to leave.” Mark rushed, standing to his feet and dragging her up with him. He bit back the intense shock of pain that shot down his back as his body protested. It didn't matter how much pain he was in, the life of Jessica Koh was always more important. 

He attempted to drag her to the door, tightening his grip as she struggled. “Wait! One more thing.”

Mark stopped as she pulled away from his grip. She held her hands to her chests. They didn't have time for this. Mark didn't know where they were so there would be no telling when Raymond got a hold of those kids. If Jaebeom was keeping an eye on his accounts then Raymond was too.

“Yugyeom got in contact with me but we were only able to speak briefly. They should be tracking your account as we speak."

He already knew they were being traced, but it didn't matter. Nothing at the moment mattered other than Jessica making it out alive.

He didn't know if he could handle watching another person he considered family die.

The room door swung open. Raymond stood, face enraged as his gaze locked onto Kohs. Sohee stood slightly behind him on the right. Her face impassive but there was a glint of glee in her eye.

Mark's body froze, his voice getting caught in his throat. The girl shouldn't have come to him, she should have left as soon as she created the opportunity. Why had she given up on life?

"Jessica, funny meeting you here." Raymond spoke, taking a step into the room. Jessica stood firm, taking a step closer as well, her eyes meeting the man's gaze in an act of strength Mark didn't know she had. She had changed a lot since they were kids. "You've caused quite a problem for me."

"You've caused your own problems." She bit back. "You're the reason everything is happening now. Still upset Dorine died? Tough, life moves on. She wouldn't have wanted you to act the way you are. She wouldn't have wanted you to abuse the child she nur-" 

"Shut up!" Raymond hissed, backhanding her to shut her up. "You know nothing!" 

Mark moved to help the girl sit up. His mind refusing to register the fact that Jessica was just hit. Rage slowly built up in his system but he remained numb. 

His mind called for a reaction but his body refused to move.

"You're pathetic," she glared, allowing Mark to wipe the blood from her mouth. "A sorry excuse of a husband and a pitiful excuse for a father."

The shot rang, filling the room. Mark could only watch as Kohs body slumped in his arms. He stared, stunned as the blood poured from the hole on her forehead. 

She was dead. Her body heavy with dead weight, and her eyes lifeless. Mark pushed back the tears, allowing his anger to keep him afloat. 

His jaw clenched, eyes losing focus as he attempted to calm his heavily beating heart. It was the only thing he could hear, it hurt. He was hurting. Physically, mentally, his whole person ached. 

A strong grip on his hair pulled him from his thoughts, his father pulled, forcing Jessica to drop from his hold. 

Mark yelped in pain, trying to pry the grip away with no results. His father didn't budge, his anger amplified his strength.

"Pay attention when I speak to you, you stupid boy." 

"Fuck you!" Mark glared up at his father, halting his struggle. He dug his nails into his father's arm. "You killed her!"

His father smirked down at him, arrogance dripping from him in rage. "The bitch deserved to die. I should have sent her with your mother on the day she died."

The world seemed to stop. The rage was the only thing on Mark's mind. He wanted blood, but since he wasn't allowed it he would use the only thing he had to stand against his father. "Why is that Ray? Koh hit a nerve? Mad that she spoke the truth?"

Raymond's body tensed, his face dropping and his grip loosening enough for Mark to break free. 

Mark fell, his body crumbling to the floor as he looked back up to his father. "It hurts doesn't it? To know my mother probably loved Jessica more than she loved you."

The first hit was expected. He braced himself for it. This was the type of pain he was used to. He could handle this. He forced a chuckle. "You really are pathetic. I'm sorry it took so long for-"

The second hit was firmer, filled with aggression, knocking Mark onto the floor as the first connected with his face. He coughed, clenching his eyes shut as the first kick connected, gasping for air as it was knocked out if him, then the second, then the third. He laughed through the pain, his mind going hazy. He felt numb. His back was bleeding again, he could feel the wetness drip down his sides. 

He knew Jessica's efforts to patch him up would go to waste.

"My biggest regret is letting Jess die before you. JYP should have put the bullet through you instead." Mark spat, blood falling from his lips and onto the floor. He turned his head, looking up at his father with dead eyes. He felt nothing, not even joy as his father's face contorted to display his rage. Raymonds breathing was heavy. He used up too much energy kicking his son. "But don't worry, you pathetic piece of shit, JB will finish the job for-"

His words were caught in his throat as his father kicked him onto his back, bending down on one knee and pushing his palm around his neck. Mark gasped, struggling to breathe as his windpipes were crushed by the grip of a man twice his size. 

"Kill him." Mark heard, his mind refusing to acknowledge anything but the lack of air getting to his lungs. "Kill him, Raymond. He's the reason for all of your problems."

Mark's eyes glazed, the darkness over shadowing his vision as he hit at his father, shoving his palm under his father's chin in attempts to free his airways. His legs kicked, his body bucking as he begged for air. He needed to breathe. 

He coughed as the hands were removed, his eyes clenching shut as he turned to his side, greedily gasping for the air that couldn't fill his lungs fast enough. 

"Don't make me do that again." Raymond slowly lowered his frame, ignoring Mark's resistance as he forced a kiss on his forehead. "Tie his hands behind his back and take him back to the other room. Isolation would do him some good."

He left.

"I was hoping he would kill you."

Mark's breathing remained heavy as he sat up, leaning against the wall. He didn't care about what Sohee had to say. The woman was irrelevant. 

His chest was tight and his body ached. He was tired. He glanced at Jessica's lifeless form. Too tired. 

He cooperated as his father's men entered the room, and went as they dragged him to the other room. Mark hated this room but he was too tired to care. 

His arms were pushed behind him, cold cuffs holding them in place as he was tossed into the room. He hit the floor with a huff. He couldn't even feel his back anymore. 

"If he did then it would have been perfect and you wouldn't be so pitiful now." Sohee chuckled sardonically. She walked into the dark room, keeping the door open as their only source of light. "I thought it would be enough for you to disappear, and it was until your father recognized Sakura was your friend. You really wasted all of my efforts to get rid of you without having to kill you."

Mark watched silently as she bent down in front of him. She rubbed a tender hand through his hair as she moved his head to meet her gaze.

What was she saying? Mark didn't know. All he wanted to do now was sleep and never wake up. Grief pooled in his chest. He missed his mom. He didn't want to go through this anymore.

"He's too obsessed with you. I'll have to get rid of you like I got rid of your mother."

The room seemed to freeze as Sohee continued talking to herself. Had Mark heard that right? Had Sohee just admitted to having his mother killed? He blinked through the fatigue. What the fuck did he just hear? 

His chest tightened, nausea setting in. Why would she? It didn't make any sense. Why would someone like Sohee want a man like his father?

No, the answer wasn't as insane as it once would have been. Sohee had always been obsessively attentive to Raymond. The woman loved him and his mother was in the way.

Mark attempted to move away from her grip but his attempts were futile. He had no energy left. Maybe he really should just close his eyes and let go. 

Was anything even worth it anymore? 

Sohee watched him silently, a small smile playing on her lips. She saw how unwilling Mark was to live. She probably expected him to die soon. 

He had lost a lot of blood.

"It was the perfect plan. All I had to do was tell JYP that Dorine was planning to murder his son so that you could take over the business. The man was an idiot." Sohee chuckled, playing with the strands on Mark's hair as she dropped his face, letting his cheek rest on the cold, hard ground. "Then, I lied to you and those boys because I needed you to drop all communication. I needed to be the only person you relied on. It was all going so well, too. You loved me and your father showed me more attention. That is until your little foreign friends arrived."

Sohee sighed as Mark tensed, his body going slack shortly after. 

"I didn't want to kill them, but your father noticed a change in you. You became less dependent on me and your bark grew a little louder. That's when I knew you had to go. Death would have destroyed your father, so I planted the idea of you running across the world and helped you along the way."

She was crazy. There was no other explanation. She had thought out every step, she ruined his life, and the lives of so many others. Things would be different had it not been for her. 

His mother would still be alive if it wasn't for her.

His eyes watered. He wanted to say something, anything to let her know how much he hated her but he couldn't. He could no longer feel his body. It was failing him. 

He was losing his will to live.

"But now I've run into the same problem. Raymond won't let you go." Sohee stood to her feet. She looked at Mark as though he were a bug ready to be squashed. "I'll make sure your father kills all of your friends. They'll be joining you shortly."

She left, the door slamming behind her. Darkness settled. Mark blinked, curling in on himself but refusing any other movement. 

It really wasn't worth it anymore. His body was failing him. Jessica should still be alive. His mom should still be alive. He should have been the one to die. It should have been him.

For the first time in a long time, he cried. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: The only notes I have for the final chapter are 'Happy ending?' and 'stop abusing the boys.'
> 
> You guys inspired me to write this chapter so quickly, and I've already started writing chapter 27. I don't know when that's going to be done, but the beginning is always the hardest part for me to write and I'm already done with that part :D


	27. End of an Empire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my longest chapter to date.

The plan had been decided quickly. Once Jaebeom received the call from Jackson confirming what Yugyeom had already said it had been easy. Jaebeom wanted the head of the man who had tormented them for months, and Jinyoung wanted for his family to be safe.

They would go to war, and they would have to move before Raymond disappeared again.

They moved quickly, Jaebeom barking orders to form teams and sending them to Jackson and Bambam as a form of back up. Yugyeom was trained in handling a gun but he would only serve as a look out in case they missed stragglers. He would work with Sumni and her team in taking out every enemy who left the building. Youngjae would stay behind. He could fire a gun, but he had no experience on the field.

Jinyoung made sure the formations were in order. Bambam and Bangs team would head in first, they had the most fire power and they were the most effective team. Jackson and Taecyeon would head in after, taking care of everyone missed. Their main focus was to clear the building. There was no back exit so there were only 2 ways out, through the front, and by a door on the side. There were to be no prisoners, Jaebeom wanted the Tuan family exterminated.

Jinyoung listened to the consistent sound of gunfire as he got out of the car. Their leader had been furious when Jinyoung had slid in beside him, but the injured man didn’t care. He needed to find Mark and the best time to do it was when Raymond’s men were focused on the attack. He also needed to ensure JB didn’t lose his head.

Yugyeom raised a brow as he noticed Jinyoung, but he kept his thoughts to himself. He knew there would be no changing anyone's mind.

“How is it?” Jaebeom asked, pulling his gun out of his pocket and checking the clip. He was about to head in. He relented in letting Jinyoung go on his search for Mark, but they had agreed to a compromise. While searching for Mark, they would search for Raymond together. He didn’t trust leaving Jinyoung alone while he wasn’t fully healed.

If Bambam and Jackson found the man first they would hold him until Jaebeom reached him.

“Some injuries but no deaths.” He passed Jinyoung and Jaebeom their own earpieces. Loud bangs, crashed, and yells sounded as they put them in. Bambam barked orders and Jackson did the same. They handled their own perspective teams well and their team followed instruction.

Hopefully they could finish with minimum loss.

“That’s because the majority of his men are probably still in America.” Jaebeom advised. “Once Raymond is dead then the family loses their power. They will belong to JYP and I have no intentions of letting them continue on.”

He turned, gripping his gun in his hand as he headed to the building. Jinyoung reached out, ruffling Yugyeom's hair as he wished them safety and followed quickly behind their leader.

Their entry was easy. No men, no bullets, nothing. Their man had done well in taking care of everyone and Jinyoung found great appreciation for the efficiency of their men.

The building was big, bigger than Jinyoung had anticipated. His shoulder began to ache with the exertion. Jaebeom was running through the halls, clearing out the men heading down while Jinyoung checked the rooms for anyone hidden and their targets. It was the easiest plan to ensure Jinyoung didn’t reopen his wounds. JB handled the gun, while Jinyoung searched the rooms. After 20 minutes of searching he had already killed 15 men.

It would have been easier had Jinyoung not been injured.

“Check this hall.” Jaebeom ordered, keeping his gaze sharp as he kept his aim down the hall. 5 had died before they reached this hall. Adding those 5 to all of the dead bodies left by Bambam and Jackson, there were more men in this area than any other area. Jinyoung’s fingers twitched.

There had to be a reason this floor was so heavily guarded.

Jinyoung quickly opened the doors, searching in an empty room before leaving to the next one. It was irritating that the building had so many floors. What was the purpose for all of the rooms? The layout was the same for all of them. Dark, and measly empty. There was nowhere to hide in them.

“Shit” Bambam called from the earpiece. “Woojin’s down. Bullet to the heart.”

They kept moving. Casualties were common in war. You keep the lost in your mind and mourn them only once you’ve won.

Jinyoung reached a door, swinging it open. He froze. This room was different than the others. A bed, a small tv, and a tv occupied the room. A gasp left his lips as his eyes landed on a motionless figure of a young woman. He stepped into the room. The girl was clearly dead, a bullet wound to her skull was still fresh. Was she a prisoner of Raymond? Jinyoung had a bad feeling.

“JB?” He called, turning to look at the man as he stood by the door. Jaebeom clenched his jaw as he recognized her. His fists clenched and he turned to look away.

“Jessica Koh.” Was all he offered before leaving the frame.

Jinyoung’s heart was constricted. This was Mark's friend, someone he cared for, someone who risked her life for his safety.

He looked around the room. He felt sick. Blood decorated the floor, but he knew it wasn’t hers. Had Mark been kept in this room? He looked at the bed, his eyes locking onto the bloody sheets. Just what had Raymond put him through?

He left the door open as he moved to the next one.

“ _We’ve reached the 4th floor. There’re 2 levels left. Jackson-_ ” Bambam voice was angry stopping as a gunshot went off. It sounded closer than the others. _“Shit, son of a fucking-.”_

 _“Bam, stay where you are. We’re right behind you.”_ Jackson promised. _“Still no sign of Raymond.”_

Door after door with no results, and they were only on the 2nd floor. Jinyoung was beginning to think Raymond had taken Mark and escaped. It was a possibility they hadn’t even wanted to entertain.

“Where the fuck are they?” Jaebeom hissed. His irritation had increased after seeing Jessica's body.

“They have to be here.” Jinyoung called back, reaching the last door on the hall. He didn’t expect to find Raymond at the lower levels, he was probably waiting at the top, but Mark should have already been found.

What was the purpose of all of the guards on this floor?

Reaching the handle, he pushed the door open. It was dark, darker than all of the other rooms and held no source of light. Reaching against the wall for a light switch, he almost gave up on it. It wasn’t as though the light in the hall could light the room, the buildings generator had been taken out.

Taking a step into the room, he hoped JB shot if something shot at them. The was no way to tell if the room was safe.

Reaching a switch, he held his breath as the light was switched on. The room lit up and Jinyoung thanked God that there was light.

“Jinyoung.” JB spoke.

Jinyoung turned. His body freezing as he took in the lone figure left in the middle of the room. His breath caught in his throat. Mark laid, his body curled in on itself, arms behind his back, motionless.

Blood pooled around his frame in dangerous amounts and Jinyoung feared for the worst. Had they been too late?

“We found Mark.” JB spoke into his set. He took a step into the room, reaching Mark the same time as Jinyoung.

 _“Is he alive?”_ Jackson asked first. He received no answer. They didn’t know yet.

Jinyoung dropped to his knees as he surveyed Mark. His wounds were deep, and his back was still wet. Blood continued to drip. Jinyoung knew they would have to stop the blood before moving him.

Jaebeom moved to apply pressure to his wounds after shooting through the chain of the shackles, and Jinyoung felt for a pulse. He couldn’t feel one.

“Jaebeom, I don’t feel a pulse.” Dread filled the pit of his stomach and he felt his blood grow cold. They couldn’t have been too late. Mark still had to be alive, so why wasn’t he moving.

“Move.” Jaebeom ordered, switching spots with Jinyoung. He placed his hand where Jinyoung’s was previously and closed his eyes. He took his earpiece out of his ear and felt in silence for the pulse. Jinyoung continued to apply the pressure, feeling relief as the bleeding began to stop. “He’s alive. Mark's pulse had always been faint. It’s one of the reasons he hated doctors so much.”

Ironic, seeing as he became one.

JB put his earpiece back in.

 _“How is he?_ ” Bambam questioned, worried masked by his irritation. _“Swear to god I’m going to kick his ass regardless.”_

“He’s alive.” He answered, shifting Mark to hold him in his arms. JB stood, leaving the room. “Mark, wake up. You need to wake up.”

It didn’t make sense why he wasn’t waking up. Jinyoung was calling him, they both were. Why was nothing waking him up?

JB returned to the room, a fresh roll of gauze with him. Jinyoung didn’t ask where he found it, he was just grateful that it was there. He held Mark's unconscious form as Jaebeom wrapped him.

“You should be a little gentler.” Mark groaned, his voice husky. He winced as JB wrapped him tightly. His eyes opened slowly, gaze shifting between the two men hovering over him, it took a bit before the recognition hit. His eyes lingered on Jinyoung’s, a soft smile on his lips. “You should have woken me with a kiss.”

Jaebeom scoffed, refusing to hide his disgust of the blatant flirting.

Jinyoung released his bated breath. He had been worried Mark wouldn’t wake up. He wouldn’t have been surprised if Mark's body had shut down with the number of wounds he had and the amount of blood he lost. He helped Mark sit up, allowing JB to work easier as he tended to the man.

“You should’ve been a princess.” He scolded, cupping Mark's cheek and meeting his gaze. He was tired, his eyes lacking any form of warmth. Jinyoung wondered just how close the other man had come to giving up. “Bambam said he’s going to kick your ass.”

Mark only winced as a pained chuckle left his lips.

“Can you move?” Jaebeom questioned, finishing the wrapping. He secured it.

“Can’t really feel my body right now, sorry.” Mark smiled; it was empty. Jinyoung wanted to cut out Raymond’s eyes. He was broken. The spirit, the fire that once found a home in his eyes was nowhere to be found. Mark was broken.

Sighing, Jaebeom stood. He put his gun in his clip and pulled Mark off the ground. The man whined in pain as Jinyoung helped him position himself on Jaebeom’s back. He would have to carry the injured man out.

“He killed Koh.” Mark whispered, burying his face in Jaebeom’s neck. The older man only shifted, moving Mark into a more comfortable position and nodding to the door. The defeat in the older man’s voice was tangible. “I’m sorry.”

Jaebeom and Jinyoung shared a glance. They remained silent. It didn’t seem as Mark was apologizing to them. He was grieving, wallowing in self-pity. Jinyoung wondered if the older man was crying.

 _“He’s not here.”_ Bambam called. _“Fucking Tuan isn’t here.”_

They continued to walk, Jaebeom moving a little faster as they headed to the stairwell. What did they mean Raymond wasn’t there? Had they checked every floor of the building? There was no way the man could have left without Yugyeom seeing him.

“The fuck do you mean?” Jaebeom hissed. Mark groaned as his body was shifted.

 _“He’s not here, boss. All of the rooms have been emptied, and only a few men are left. Raymond Tuan isn’t here.”_ Jacksons tone mirrored Bambam. Gunshots continued to ring in the background.

“That’s not possible. Keep looking.” Jinyoung spoke, keeping his gaze locked on JB. He didn’t need him to lose his temper, not while carrying Mark.

 _“We already have!”_ Bambam hissed back. His irritation on full display as he spoke.

“He’s not in the upper levels, you have to head down.” Mark offered quietly. He kept his face buried in Jaebeom’s neck.

Down? They didn’t see a way down while they were searching. Was it something they missed, or was the way leading down well hidden?

“Then we’ll check the lower levels once we get you out of here.” Jaebeom eyed Jinyoung as they reached the 1st floor.

“No.”

Jaebeom stopped walking, Jinyoung stopping as well. Mark couldn’t be serious in going with them, could he?

“Mark, you can’t be planning on going with us.” Jinyoung questioned the injured man. He watched with worried eyes as Mark pushed himself off of Jaebeom’s back.

Mark's eyes clenched shut as he fought off his dizzy spell, but he stood upright. The look in his gaze held no room for debate. He was going with them regardless of what they said.

“Koh told me how to get there. I’m the only one who can get you there.” Marks gaze focused. Jinyoung was relieved to see a little life had returned.

“Tell us so you can get treatment.”

“No, Sohee is with him. You can have my father but Sohee is mine.” The fire was back, his tone leaving no room for debate of discussion. Whatever Sohee had done, had revived the life in Mark full force.

“Sohee?” Jaebeom questioned, his eyes skeptical as he waited for an explanation. What Mark said would be the deciding factor.

“Sohee was responsible for my mother’s death.”

Time seemed to stand still as they stared at one another. Jinyoung watched with bated breath. Sohee, he had heard the name earlier. She was the one who told Mark that Jaebeom was with JYP when he killed Dorine, and the one who was with Jaebeom. What was Mark saying? Jaebeom seemed to have the same questions.

“She orchestrated everything. My mother’s death, our falling out, me coming back to Korea, and she even tried to have me killed. My father, he’ll die by your hands, but Sohee is mine.”

Seconds seemed like hours before Jinyoung made the first move. He reached down, pulling his gun strapped against his leg. He passed it to Mark who said nothing as he pushed past Jaebeom, leading their way to Raymond.

Jaebeom clenched his teeth. He took a deep breath before following Mark. He wouldn’t deny Mark his opportunity for revenge, the same way he hadn’t denied Jackson, or Bambam. If Sohee was responsible for his mother's death, then Sohees death was Mark's responsibility.

“Jackson, walk through the building one more time to make sure there are no survivors and wait for us outside.” Jaebeom ordered, keeping his gaze focused on Mark's injured back. “Make sure those injured get tended to.”

_“Yes boss.”_

_“The hell do you mean wait for you outside? Aren’t you taking Mark-?”_ The voice disappeared as Jinyoung and Jaebeom took their earpieces out of their ears, Jaebeom dropping his to the ground and Jinyoung sticking his in his pocket. They could do without the distractions and JBs orders had been clear.

“Bambam is going to kick your ass too.” Jinyoung teased Jaebeom who smirked at the jab. According to JB, Bambam was all bark and no bite.

“He can try.”

They followed Mark down a hall and onto a new flight of stairs hidden behind a bookshelf. It seemed Raymond had taken precaution in his safety. They reached the bottom, opening the door into the lower lever as quietly as they could. Jinyoung stuck his head out first. The halls were well lit, but they were empty. Raymond must have sent everyone upstairs.

“This way.” Mark whispered, leading them down a hall and into what appeared to be a meeting room.

Sohee sat at the head of the table, gun drawn and aimed at the door. Her pistol pointed at Mark, but her gaze locked onto Jaebeom. A sneer formed on her face before moving onto Jinyoung. Her aim was quickly refocused. She eyed him, her gaze turning dull. She didn’t seem to care about three guns being pointed at her.

“It would seem I miscalculated how much life you actually had left, boy. You should have died.” Her gaze slid back to Mark. “How happy you must be to meet your love while still alive.”

Jinyoung bristled. He hadn’t heard much about the woman, but he could already tell he wouldn’t have liked her regardless.

“Are you jealous?” Mark mocked, taking a step closer to the woman. Sohees lip curled in disgust. “JB, go ahead. I’ll catch up.”

JB looked between his friend and the woman before nodding. He eyed Jinyoung who followed him out. Mark could handle it.

Jinyoung hesitated. He had just gotten Mark back, he wasn’t ready to leave him with this unknown woman, but as he watched JB turn to leave the room he knew he would have no choice. He may have loved Mark, but JB was his priority and he always would be. JB was his boss, the leader of his family. He took precedence.

“I thought you would be more interested in your father. He won’t go down without a fight.”

Mark shrugged. He wasn’t worried about JB. He knew he could handle himself, and Jinyoung would be there to back him up.

“Not my main concern. Right now, I’m way more interested in putting a bullet through your skull. You did have my mother killed, after all.”

Sohee chuckled, her grip on her gun tightening as she stood to her feet. Nothing between them but a long table.

“You think your bullet will reach me before mine reaches you? I’ve always been a better shot.”

Mark scoffed, “Maybe when I was a kid but you’re old now. I’ll rely on your failing sight.”

Sohee sneered, taking offence to the jab about her age. Mark knew how the woman hated the thought of aging. It was the only pet peeve of hers that he truly knew.

“Failing-.” The woman hissed, falling to Marks baiting.

“That must be why my father never returned your feelings. He would never be with an old-.”

Bullets fired; Mark dropped.

##

Jinyoung blinked at the sounds of two guns going off. He prayed that Mark was okay and would have faith in the man. They were all going to get out of this alive.

They entered a room at the end of the hall. Jinyoung raised his gun, nodding to Jaebeom that he was ready as they walked through the threshold.

Raymond sat; gaze hardly focused as they reached him. The man looked lost, tired. Jinyoung would have felt pity if rage hadn’t already set in the pit of his stomach. This was the man who had made Marks life a living hell, and the man who had caused their family so much strife. Nothing would satisfy him more than seeing Raymond’s head roll.

Raymond blinked, his focus coming back as he looked at Jaebeom with cold eyes. He held no emotion. He shifted in his seat, showing the gun clenched in his hand.

“I take it my men are dead?” Raymond looked to Jinyoung before looking back at Jaebeom. “You’ve grown into a fine man. Jinyoung would be proud.”

“You’ve made sure he wouldn’t be here.” Jaebeom hissed. Jinyoung kept his gun focused on Raymond as he moved around the room. He would make sure the room was clear of everyone else before there were any surprises.

“Yes, I suppose I did.” Raymond lifted a hand to his chin, his figure tapping as he thought back. “Pitiful that he couldn’t watch his only son grow up.”

“What?” Jaebeom flinched. He was Jinyoung’s adopted son, but the tone in which Raymond spoke implied something entirely different. Jinyoung looked at his leader to make sure he was fine before continuing his task.

“Ah, I guess you never found out. Park Jinyoung, creator of JYP, was your birth father.” The tension in the room intensified. Jaebeom’s jaw clenched. “Your birth mother ran from him when she found out she was pregnant. By that time Jinyoung was already married to his whore of a widow.”

“You’re lying.” Jaebeom denied.

“I have no reason. When JYP found you, it was by pure coincidence. He saw you while you were playing at the park with Mark. The boy had taken a strong liking to you, he's always been attracted to kids with similar auras to himself. Strong, smart, with the potential to rule. Jinyoung knew instantly you were his.”

“Then why did he lie about the adoption?” Jinyoung questioned, coming back around the room. Raymond turned to meet him in the eye. The older man’s eyes roamed up his body before ignoring him all together.

“His wife would have thrown a fit if she found out you were a product of his first love. Your mother wouldn’t give you up, so he killed her and adopted you.” He sighed, leaning his chin against his palm. “It was easy since you had already taken a liking to YiEn.”

His demeanor reminded Jinyoung of Marks. The man felt no pressure despite being outnumbered and his calculated gaze promised death to any who stood against him.

Something seemed off though, and Jinyoung couldn’t name it. It was unnerving.

“Why are you telling me this now?” Jaebeom’s gaze hardened. His gaze shifted. It was the look his boss always adopted when he was holding back his rage. It wouldn’t be long before he snapped.

“Maybe I'm feeling sentimental in my old age.” Raymond smiled, lifting his gun. “YiEn should have been the boss of JYP, he was next in line, and you should have been his underboss. Plus, I never liked how close you two were.”

“Our family is perfect with our current boss.” Jinyoung interjected, attempting to pull the attention from his boss and allowing him time to calm down. JB worked better with a cool head. “If you hadn’t been a shitty father, he may have been closer to you.”

Raymond’s smile dropped, his gaze cutting sharply to Jinyoung. Raymond re-aimed his gun.

“I thought you were dead.” The look in Raymond’s eyes changed. Jinyoung felt the pressure behind the gaze but he held firm. Raymond Tuan didn’t scare him. He wouldn’t bend to his will.

“Clearly, you were mistaken.”

“I see why my boy has taken a liking to you.” Raymond chucked, the sarcasm running off him in waves. “He may like smart asses, but I don’t.”

Gunshots rang from behind them and Jinyoung turned to the door. Armed men charged in. Jinyoung ducked as a gun fired from behind him. He glanced as JB ducked for cover and he did the same. They headed into opposite directions, Jinyoung hiding behind a wide pillar and JB hiding behind a bar.

“Pity you have to die here. I would have liked to taste you the same way I tasted my son.”

Jinyoung felt nauseous. The thought of Raymond Tuan touching him made him sick, but the revelation that Raymond had touched Mark made it worse. Raymond didn’t deserve an easy death, he deserved to be beaten and tormented for everything he had put Mark through.

Jinyoung shifted as bullets damaged the pillar shielding him. He glanced around; 4 extra men fully armed had entered the room. It must have been the reason the man showed no concern. He had a backup plan.

Stepping from behind the pillar, he took aim and fired before a string of bullets were shot at him. He had hit his target, the man flying back before hitting the ground.

1 down, 3 to go.

“Raymond, your men are weak.” Jaebeom taunted. “Had I known they would go down so easily I would have sent only the soldiers in.”

“Kill him.” Raymond ordered.

A string of bullets rang out into the bar. Jinyoung took his opportunity. He stepped out and took aim, 2 bullets were released before Raymond returned the fire. Jinyoung hissed as his arm was grazed. He wasn’t as fast as he normally was, his shoulder was already killing him from the force of the gun’s drawback.

“Mr. Jaebeom, are you dead?” Raymond taunted. Jinyoung tensed as the sound grew closer. He gritted his teeth. He would have to move before Raymond reached him. “I hope so, but I may be more interested in killing your underboss before killing you.”

“There’s only one left JB!” Jinyoung called before making his move. He ran to the next pillar, bullets missing him barely as he passed.

“Perfect!” JB called back, standing from behind the bar and taking out the last guard.

Bullets stopped but Jinyoung froze. Raymond’s gun was shoved in his face. He clenched his jaw. He hadn’t even realized the man had gotten so close. He was too focused on drawing the attention of the guard

“It’s hard to find good help these days. JYP kept the best when he banished me from Korea.”

“Drop your gun.” Jaebeom hissed. He moved from around the bar, gun secured in his hand as he moved closer to them. “You kill him, you die.”

“You would have me dead regardless.” Raymond’s eyes flashed. “It doesn’t matter to me though. If I kill you, maybe Mark will come back to me.”

“He would never willingly return to you.” Jinyoung kept his gaze firm. “After everything you did to him, do you really think he would want to be anywhere near you?”

“Dad?” A voice called from the door. Raymond turned, his eyes widening before 2 shots rang out. The man toppled to the ground, falling to his side as 2 bullets pierced him. One in his stomach from Jinyoung’s gun, the other through his skull from JB’s.

Jinyoung felt the tension leave his body as he surveyed Raymond’s limp form. He was dead. The threat was finally dead. He took his earpiece out of his pocket and held it to his ear, listening as Bambam and Jackson argued. They were waiting outside.

“Tuan is dead.” Were the only words spoken before he dropped the earpiece to the ground. He turned to look at Mark. His gaze was focused on his limp father. Emotions showed clearly in his eyes before he shut them off completely. Jinyoung knew the man must have been having an internal battle. He may have hated his father, but the memories before his mother’s death were filled with love.

“I told him that you would finish the job.” Mark whispered, leaning against the door frame and sliding to the floor. Jinyoung ran to him, wrapping his arms around his frame as he fell limp.

“Are you okay?” JB asked. He was tired, but the concern was audible.

“I’ll be fine.” Mark sniffled, wiping at his eyes. “I just need some rest.”

Jinyoung pulled away, taking in the man's injured form. He frowned. There was a new whole in Mark's side. New blood stained the bandages.

“Shit, were you shot?” Jinyoung panicked. He tore his sleeve, applying pressure to the wound as Jaebeom rushed over. They didn’t have time to linger. Mark needed medical attention.

Turning away as Jinyoung attempted to help Mark up off the ground, JB ran to Raymond, putting 4 more bullets into his head for good measure before returning to lift Mark princess style. Jinyoung was in no position to lift anything. His wounds had reopened, and his blood was flowing out of his shoulder. Jaebeom hissed.

“Mark, stay awake.” Jinyoung pleaded, running behind Jaebeom at full speed as they rushed up the stairs. Marks head lulled. His eyes glazed as they slowly closed. “You have to stay awake.”

“Just 5 minutes and I’ll be fine.”

“Shit.” Jaebeom hissed, moving faster. “Tuan you better not die on me.”

Mark chuckled weekly. “Not like I have anything else to live for.”

“Bull shit. You have Jinyoung.” JB argued. Jinyoung felt his breathing shallow as he pushed himself to move faster. He felt ready to pass out, his vision blurred but he remained on task.

“Ah, yeah.” Mark sounded dazed. His voice held no power behind it. It wouldn’t be long before he passed out. “Jinyoung is a good reason to stay alive.”

“The best reason.” Jinyoung supplied. “I went through a lot to get to you. You better not let my efforts go to waste Mark.”

Jinyoung's heart clenched as Mark's head rested on JBs shoulder. His body slumping farther in the man’s arms. His eyes were closed, a small smile on his lips.

“Fuck.” Jaebeom hissed. Mark had passed out.

Jinyoung looked ahead. They had made it out of the stairwell and out of the building in record time. Jackson met them at the door, eye wide with relief before worry took over. He ran to them, grabbing hold of Mark to carry him the rest of the way. Bambam and Yugyeom on his tail.

“Mark needs medical treatment.” Jinyoung barked. They needed to get Mark medical attention as soon as possible.

“Jinyoung, maybe you should sit down.” Yugyeom suggested, reaching for Jinyoung.

He wasn’t important at the moment, Mark was. He needed to make sure Mark was okay before anything else. He watched as medical reached them. He felt his body slump. He leaned against Yugyeom, shielding his eyes as another dizzy spell hit him.

“Jinyoung are you okay?!”

Jinyoung wasn’t sure who asked him before his world faded black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Should it be a happy ending? Markjin for the win? Or should it be angsty? I did put character death in the tags... Decisions, decisions.


	28. Happy ending?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the final chapter. It's been a ride, no?

It was calm, peaceful. The window had been left open, so the breeze aired out the stuffy room. His eyes lingered on the words of his book he held in his hand. He was taking his time reading it. He felt like he had all of the time in the world.

A knock on the door drew his attention.

Peniel poked his head in, a small smile on his lips. He glanced around the room as he entered the threshold and stuck his hands in his pockets as he took a step closer. He stopped as he reached the bed, his eyes glued to the sleeping form.

“Still sleeping?” His words were bright, but his eyes were sad. It was a commonality for those who entered the room. They could hide the sadness in their voice, but they could never keep it from their gaze.

The only one who never hid the sorrow was Youngjae, but that wasn’t surprising. There was something oddly innocent about him.

“No, not yet. Irene said she doesn’t know when he’ll wake up, but he will when he’s ready.”

2 weeks. He had been waiting to see those beautiful brown eyes for 2 weeks. After he had passed out, they had carried them both to the hospital. They had been tended to, but while he woke up after 4 hours, Mark remained asleep.

JB had him moved to Jinyoung’s house in an attempt to make him more comfortable. Jinyoung didn’t really see how it would change anything. It wasn’t as though Mark was conscious enough to know where he was.

“I’m ready for him to be ready now.” Peniel attempted to joke, his laugh dry as he grabbed hold of his friends’ hand. “It’s kind of lonely without him.”

Bambam had said the same thing.

He had been reintegrated back into the family, as had Yugyeom. The lower members had been hesitant and nearly spoke out about the decision, but JB had controlled the situation flawlessly. He was their boss; his word was law. It reminded Jinyoung of why they had been so keen on him taking over in the first place.

“It is.” He hadn’t realized how much Mark had woven himself into his life until he was no longer there. He missed the sarcastic remarks, the teasing smiles, the intimate moments, but most importantly he missed the comfortable silences.

It was a shame that he couldn’t return home from a meeting with the capo, or a potential business partner, and snuggle in Mark's arms, or Mark snuggle into his as they laid in his bed. They would simply sit there for hours, Mark playing with his hair or vice versa.

He missed those moments the most.

“Sakura called earlier to check up on him. She said it was strange not having her friend to call when she needs advice.”

Sakura had become somewhat of an ally. She had reached out in attempts to form a treaty with JB once she began her expansion into South Korea. She was ready to infringe in a new country and as long as JB allowed her with no grief, she would remain outside of their borders.

Surprisingly, JB had agreed. He had even gone as far as to have Jackson introduce her to Teayeon as a form of agreement. Teayeon appreciated the business, and Sakura appreciated the assistance.

“She should come visit sometime. I’m sure you would love that.”

Peniel’s face flushed red. It was obvious to most that he had a crush on the Japanese girl, but he never acted on those feelings. It had become Jinyoung’s new source of entertainment since the man had taken to practically living at his house.

He claimed he wanted to be near for when Mark woke up, but Jinyoung suspected he just didn’t want to go home. Raymond’s attack had left a never-ending impression on his mind. He still flinched when someone snuck up on him.

“I thought I heard voices.” Yugyeom’s head popped through the door, a wide grin on his lips as he held a large bouquet of flowers in his hands. He brought a new bouquet every few days to replace the wilting ones. “What are you doing here Peniel?”

“Keeping Mark company while Jinyoung reads.” He smiled at the cheerful boy.

Yugyeom moved to the vase by the window, placing the new flowers on the windowsill and taking the wilted flowers out. He threw them in the trash.

“Keeping Mark company or stopping me from reading? You haven’t been talking to Mark, you’ve been talking to me.” Jinyoung scoffed, folding the tip of his book. He didn’t expect to get much more reading done.

He looked down at his watch. It was nearly noon, he had to meet the others in 15 minutes.

“It’s not like I can talk to someone who won’t talk back.” Peniel pouted, his hand gripping Marks a little tighter before releasing it all together. He crossed his arms over his chest.

“It’s not like he can’t hear you.” Yugyeom reminded him from the bathroom, rinsing the vase out in the sink. He turned the faucet off and returned to the room. “Just say things that don’t require a response.”

“Like what?” Peniel questioned.

“I tell him all about my day when I sit with him. JB and Jackson reminisce about old times. Youngjae sings to him, and Bambam complains about him not waking up.” Yugyeom tapped his chin with his finger in thought, he pursed his lips, pointing to Jinyoung. “Jinyoung reads to him every morning before leaving. He reads him at least a chapter a day.”

“And a chapter when I get home, and a chapter before I go to sleep.” Jinyoung elaborated.

After the first day of sitting with Mark he found it hard to say things with no response. He would say things with the hope that Mark would feed him a witty line but was always left with a sense of disappointment.

On the second day Seulgi came to check on his wounds. When she asked how things were with Mark, he had been honest. He knew it would be good for someone to talk to him, but he didn’t know what to say. She offered the solution of books. If it was a story book, Mark could possibly dream about what was being read to him. If it was a different genre then he would be soothed by the tone of Jinyoung’s voice.

He had read to him ever since.

“That’s cheating.”

Yugyeom chuckled, placing the new flowers in the vase and turning to look at Jinyoung. “Ready to go boss?”

No, he wasn’t. He wanted to stay by Mark's side and wait for his eyes to open. He wanted to beg for him to wake up.

“Of course.” He smiled, closing the book and placing it on the nightstand and bid Peniel a farewell. Yugyeom followed him out.

The ride to Jaebeom’s house had been quick. He pulled up, parking the car behind Jacksons as the man got out of his car. Bambam got out of the passenger’s seat, cake in hand.

It was Jaebeom’s birthday, January 6. The man was officially 26 years old.

“You guys are late.” Jackson scolded, the grin on his face holding no bite.

“The flower lady took longer to give me the flowers today.” Yugyeom shrugged, walking up to pat Bambam back in greeting.

The Thai flinched. Bambam had been shot 2 days ago on a case of ‘mistaken identity,’ not that anyone believed the shooter’s claims. Bambam was the calmest after hearing the man’s reasoning, not that it really mattered. Jackson had taken the shot personally and had cut the man’s hand off as compensation.

Jinyoung swore there was something more than them just living together. Yugyeom had offered a bet amongst the rest of the team. How long would it be before the two became more than ‘just friends.’

If they waited another week Jinyoung would win the bet.

“Yeah, yeah.” Jackson teased, brushing off the excuses. “I’m sure Jinyoung just didn’t want to leave his boyfriend's side.”

“I didn’t.” Jinyoung answered smoothly, not giving them the satisfaction of a response to the boyfriend jab. They had been calling them boyfriends since he had woken up. He walked into the house, leading the others to where he knew Jaebeom would be.

“It’s no fun when you don’t let us tease you.” Bambam pouted, draping an arm over Yugyeom’s shoulders as they walked.

“Good thing I’m not here for your fun then.” Jinyoung chuckled. He stopped in front of the door, turning to watch as Bambam struggled to light the candles. They were always so sloppy with everything they did.

“Got it!” Bambam whispered, smiling broadly at his accomplishment.

Opening the door, he moved out of the way, allowing Jackson to go in first. Jaebeom sat, wide eyed as they entered. Youngjae smiled as he started the song. Jinyoung had orchestrated the surprise, but Youngjae had been instructed to keep Jaebeom home.

“Thank you.” Jaebeom smiled, glancing at them all before closing his eyes. He made a wish before blowing out the candles.

It was happy, they were all happy, but then all knew something was missing, and they all knew what it was.

The smiles were only half full.

#

3 weeks. They were now in the third week with no sign of waking up.

Jinyoung sat by his side, staring into space. The possibilities of Mark waking up has slimed. Joy had nearly cringed when Jinyoung asked and the smile she had when answering him was so fake it hurt. He didn’t know when Mark would wake up, but he hoped it was soon.

A soft whimper sounded to his right. His head snapped, his daze breaking instantly. He stood from the chair, it clattering on the floor from the force.

Reaching out, he grabbed Marks hand, using the other to rub shaggy hair from closed eyes.

“Mark?” he listened intently for any sound and watched for any motion. He waited with bated breath. Please let it be a sign, please let him wake up.

30 seconds passed, no sound.

1 minute passed, no motion.

Jinyoung felt his heart breaking as his hope slowly diminished.

Tears welled in his eyes, but he sniffed them away, clenching his teeth. He was in the comfort of his own home, it was well past midnight, but he refused to break down. He would stay strong for Mark and he would wait until he was ready.

“When are you going to wake up?” He whispered, combing his hand through black hair. “Can you at least give me a sign that you can hear me? Or that you want to wake up?”

He needed for Mark to wake up, he had already missed so much. Peniel had finally asked Sakura on a date, and Jackson had finally let it slip that he and Bambam were on intimate grounds. He wouldn’t elaborate, and Bambam had nearly beaten him with a bamboo stick when he did, but they were no longer just friends. Jinyoung had won the bet.

Mark wasn’t there to celebrate with him.

“I miss you so much.”

He stood straight, leaving the hair and hand behind. A fresh pack of cigarettes weighted his pockets.

He needed a smoke.

##

4 weeks. 4 weeks of Jinyoung waited patiently for Mark to wake up.

Jinyoung tapped his pen on the table in front of him. He should be paying attention, this meeting was for the head of families and he was a stand in for JB, but he couldn’t bring himself to do so. It wasn’t that he didn’t care about his duties, but he didn’t care about what the old coon had to say.

The underboss didn’t even understand why JB had agreed to meet with a family so far under their own.

“As I told your boss during our earlier discussion, I believe in a merger-.” The man was rambling at this point.

A merger? Was that what he wanted? A strange sense of déjà vu lingered in the forefront of his mind. The last meeting where a merger was discussed ended in bloodshed.

Briskly, he eyed the men in the room. They had no order. The old man's men were slumped against the wall behind him and one of them was dozing off. Jinyoung glanced at his own men. Jackson stood, tall and alert, to his right and Bambam stood, mirroring Jackson, behind his left. Jinyoung had no need to worry about-.

“I believe you would be pleased with my daughter.” The man finished.

Son of a bitch. This was the real reason JB sent him to this hell hole in the middle of nowhere. This man wanted to marry his daughter off to a powerful man and JB wanted to tease him. Jinyoung felt a vein ready to pop. He would kick his ass as soon as he saw him.

He forced a smile. “As sure as I am that your daughter is a beauty.” Unless she looked like her father. “I am unavailable to relationships at the moment.”

Primarily because the only one he wanted to canoodle with was in a coma at his house, but that was personal information.

“Why’s that?” The man asked, taking offence to the rejection. “My daughter is strong, and she has the blood of mafioso. She’ll bear you strong children.”

Jackson and Bambam snickered behind him, they weren’t even trying to hide their amusement. Jinyoung would have to pay them back.

“I’m sure she would, but-.”

“It just makes no sense why you would reject her.” He reached into his pocket, pulling out a picture and shoving it in Jinyoung’s face. “Look at her, look at how beautiful she is. She takes after me and-.”

Jinyoung took a deep breath, counting to ten as the man rambled on about how lucky Jinyoung would be to woo a daughter like her. This man wasn’t family, he wasn’t important, and Jinyoung’s patience was running out. If he could put a bullet through the man’s head to shut him up then he would, but JB would call that overkill. Instead he would have to settle for the next big thing.

“Does she have a dick?” He bit out; his smile vicious as the man froze. It wasn’t often that he had to use his sexuality to get out of a situation, but at moments like this he was grateful.

“What?” The man paled, his arms with the picture dropping to the table. “What do you?”

“Does she have a dick I can suck, or shove up my ass?”

“She- I- What are-?” The man was turning green, an interesting color on an already grotesque man. 

“If she has none of the above then I have no intentions of breeding with your daughter any kind of offspring.” Jinyoung stood, his grin wide as he brushed off the dust from his jacket. He glanced to look at Jackson who was poorly hiding his laughter before looking at Bambam. The two really were similar in the strangest of ways. “Now, if you would excuse me, I believe I’ve wasted enough time.”

He left with his head held high. He had a head he needed to chew off.

##

5 weeks. It has now been 5 weeks, and nothing has changed. Irene had already asked them to consider the possibility that Mark would never wake up. The torture his father put him through in those 4 short days was more than just psychical, his psyche had taken a hit as well.

Jinyoung sighed, playing with the fingers between his hands. They celebrated the death of Raymond Tuan, but the spoils were bitter. At this point Mark was-.

No, Jinyoung shook the thought.

Leaning his head against the bed, he clenched his eyes shut. He had spent many nights in the same position, oftentimes falling asleep holding the sleeping man’s hand, and being woken by a maid who came to air out the room.

He felt pathetic but he didn’t care.

A whimper sounded but Jinyoung didn’t move. He had been through this before. Irene had told him a few weeks ago that noises and sudden twitches were common from coma patients. Muscle spasms were what she called them.

After the first few times, Jinyoung had learned not to pay them any mind.

Another whimper sounded, this time a little louder than the first and the fingers in his hand twitched.

Heart stopping, Jinyoung looked up. Eyes were still shut, but his body was squirming. He was trying to wake up. Slowly reaching out, he caressed Mark's cheek.

“Mark? Are you waking up?” The face turned towards him. “Am I finally going to see those pretty brown eyes?”

Slowly, Mark settled. His motions stopped but Jinyoung kept watch. Slowly, eyes opened.

Jinyoung stood, blinking wildly as a newly opened pair of eyes blinked in confusion. Mark looked around; eyes frantic as he tried to decipher where he was.

“Mark?” Jinyoung whispered, holding back a flinch as wild eyes landed on him. Mark calmed instantly. “Welcome back.”

Mark gulped, his Adam's apple bobbing as he tried to wet his throat. His eyes closed, a yawn leaving his lips before they opened again. They were clear, full of life, and Jinyoung had never seen anything more beautiful.

“Would you like some water?” Jinyoung asked, weaving a hand through unruly hair.

Nodding his head, Mark reached a hand to his eyes, wiping the sleep from them. Jinyoung stepped away, reaching for his glass of water and holding it up to the quiet man.

Holding the glass to dry lips, he helped Mark lift his head, watching as he greedy drank the water from the cup until it was finished.

“Do you know who I am?”

Eyes squinted as they looked at him before closing. Mark laid his head back down against the pillow before they opened again. Recognition was there, Jinyoung felt his heart pounding in anticipation.

“Park Jinyoung,” Mark's voice was scratchy. The water had barely moistened his throat. “My knight in shining armor.”

Tears welled up in Jinyoung’s eyes. He hadn’t cried since he was a child, but he couldn’t stop them. He had waited 5 weeks to see those beautiful eyes and to hear that beautiful voice.

“Why are you crying?” Mark whispered; voice sore. He reached up to wipe the first tear from Jinyoung’s cheek as it fell. “Did I scare you?”

“You’ve been in a coma for 5 weeks. We didn’t know if you would wake up.” He answered, sticking to the truth. There would be no use in lying to Mark about how long he had slept. “You scared the fuck out of me.”

Mark's eyes widened; his lips slightly parted. “5 weeks?”

“After we brought you back, Irene patched you up. She tended to your wounds while you slept. It didn’t take her long to discover that you were in a self-induced coma. She said your physical, and mental state was badly damaged and a coma was your body’s way of telling you to heal.”

The older man laid silently, blinking as he tried to understand what he had been told. “My father?”

“Dead, thrown to the fishes.”

Raymond Tuan had been dismembered before every piece of his body was put into chunks small enough to feed piranhas. He had been fully eaten in less than 30 minutes.

“Sohee?”

“Her organs were sold to the black market.” Suzy was grateful for the donation. Jia sold her organs one by one before selling the rest of her. Jinyoung didn’t want to know who the sick bastard that bought her shell was.

“Koh?” Mark's eyes glistened as he asked. Jinyoung sighed, leaning down to place a kiss on his forehead. It was the only form of comfort he could truly offer.

“Given a proper burial. JB said she would want to be buried with your mother, so we buried her there. They are together.”

Eyes clenched shut; Mark let out a shuttered breath. “Thank you.”

“He knew you would want to give her a proper burial.” Jinyoung smiled, keeping his hand rubbing through black tresses. “She was your friend after all.”

Moments past, Mark reigning in his emotions and Jinyoung doing what he could to sooth him.

“Thank you for staying by my side.”

Jinyoung blinked, hand stilling as Mark thanked him.

“I heard you, I heard everyone, but I heard you read to me every day. It’s what kept me here.”

Jinyoung’s heart thumped heavily in his chest. It hadn’t been for nothing. His reading had done what it was supposed to do.

“And for the record,” Mark smiled, a boyish charm flowing off him in waves. The same look that caused Jinyoung to fall in the first place. “I missed you too.”

##

“That hurts!” Mark hissed, kicking at Bambam as he forced his leg to bend.

“It wouldn’t hurt if you had woken up sooner.” Bambam countered, moving the leg again.

Jinyoung held back a chuckle as the two bantered back and forth. Physical therapy had been a pain and an ass, but it was going as planned. Yeri had said there may be moments where Mark would have a psychotic break because he wasn’t progressing as he thought he should, but Jinyoung was already prepared for it. His reading had consisted of nothing but medical journals with coma and physical therapy being the main focus.

“Fuck you, it’s not like I had a choice.” Mark hissed, fed up with Bambam’s taunts. Grabbing his jacket, he threw it at Bambam’s face. Laughter filled the air as the younger man fell back on his butt.

“I don’t know why you always pick on Mark. You know he’ll kick your ass once he’s able too, right?” Jackson called between laughter.

“He knows that, that’s why he’s harassing him while he still can.” Jaebeom smiled, grabbing hold of Youngjae’s hand.

“When he does, don’t ask me for help.” Yugyeom called, laughter still in his voice. “I’m team Mark all the way.”

Meeting up to attend Mark's session had been Jacksons idea. Normally it was just Mark and Jinyoung, but the older man was in distress. He was having a hard time adjusting to needing help for everything and Jackson figured he needed a pick me up.

What better way to feel better than to be surrounded by friends? 

“Will you be serious?” Yeri chastised, coming back in the room with a clipboard in hand. She hit Bambam on the back of the head before shooing him away. “Come, Mark, let’s begin where we left off.”

Mark's smile tightened.

##

“I hate this.” Mark whispered in his ear one night. 4 days after he had woken up and they were cuddling in Jinyoung’s room. They had just gotten back from therapy. The sun had set hours ago.

“Hate what?” Jinyoung questioned, hoping the older man would elaborate. This wasn’t the first time he had said something of similar nature and it probably wouldn’t be the last.

“Not being at 100%” Mark squeezed him tighter, burying his face into his hair.

“You’ll get there.” He promised. He hated how generic the response was but there was nothing else he could offer. There was no guarantee that he would be able to use his limbs like he was once able to. “It’ll take time.”

“You can’t guarantee that.” The older man sighed. “What am I supposed to do if I can never walk without help again?”

“It wouldn’t matter to me as much as it would to you.” Jinyoung pushed back, looking up into Mark's eyes. “I’ll love you regardless.”

Mark blinked owlishly. They had been domesticated the last few weeks, Jinyoung thought he had been obvious with his feelings. Was he and Mark not on the same page? That couldn’t be it.

He felt relief when Mark's smile blossomed.

“I love you too.”

Jinyoung returned the smile, his teeth showing. Reaching up, he met Mark in a soft kiss. It was soft, tender. The feelings flowed through the connected lips and it wasn’t long before Jinyoung found himself wanting more.

He wanted all of Mark, he wanted to give all to Mark.

“It’s been a while.” Mark whispered between each peck, laying on his back as Jinyoung crawled over him. He rested his hands on Jinyoung’s hips, as the man settled between his legs, playing with peaking skin as his shirt pulled up with the motion.

“Longer than a while.” Jinyoung answered, continuing the sensuality of the kiss. Mark softly hummed in appreciation. The affection felt different, tender. It was love; it was filled with love.

Jinyoung sat up, lifted his shirt over his head. He felt his face flush as Mark surveyed his bare chest, a hand caressing his skin lightly. Jinyoung bit his lip as thumbs padded over his nipples. Mark's touch was soft, as though he were handling something precious. Jinyoung felt his pulse rise, the emotion stirring in the pit of his stomach. 

He reached down, returning the favor. His thumbs caressed Marks nipples, circling around them as Mark released a gasp. Jinyoung hardened at the sound. Licking his lips, he leaned down, biting at his lovers’ neck and lowering a hand to Marks sweats. He slid a hand beneath the fabric before reaching his prize, pumping Marks hard length with his hand as he continued to suck his neck. 

“Keep going.” Mark panted, reaching down to Jinyoung’s pajama bottoms. 

“It’s not the time for that.” Jinyoung chastised, pulling away from the neck and using his free hand to pull Marks away. This wasn’t about him; this was about Mark. He would focus solely on his lover and he wouldn’t let the man infringe on that. He kept his hand slowly pumping Mark. “Behave, or I’ll have to tie you up.”

Mark moaned at the threat, his eyes filling with unfiltered lust. He really liked when Jinyoung gave orders. It stirred him up. Mark was used to giving the orders so when someone ordered him, he melted. Heat swelled in the pit of his stomach and his skin grew hot. His hips bucked unconsciously as he reached up to Jinyoung, scraping his nails down the younger man's arms.

Lowering again, Jinyoung scooted back, removing his hand from Mark and smirking at the whine that followed. Mark lifted his hips, watching intently with heavy eyes as Jinyoung lowered the sweats. He kissed skin as he worked, licking where he could. Mark's breath came out as pants as he pressed a little harder. 

The moans are what kept him going.

“Hurry.” Mark pleaded. Watching as Jinyoung threw the sweats to another part of the room. Mark licked his lips, reaching out to touch Jinyoung anywhere he could. He couldn’t pleasure his younger lover, but he could still touch him. 

Mark cupped his face, breathing heavily as Jinyoung turned to kiss his palms before lowering to his sweaty neck. Jinyoung’s eyes were just as heated as Marks. He lowered his gaze, licking his lips in hunger as he took in Marks length. It was pumped full to life. 

Jinyoung hardened a little more at the sight. Mark panting and laying under him was a sight that would turn any sane man on. 

Leaning down, he settled himself between Mark's legs. Thighs rested against his shoulders as he eyed the dripping dick. Lifting his eyes to meet Mark's anxious ones, he slowly stuck out his tongue, causing Mark to shiver. 

This is what Jinyoung wanted. He wanted Mark’s full attention; he wanted the man to focus on no one but himself. 

“Please.” Mark pleaded, eyes glistening as he lowered his hands, gently pulling Jinyoung. He wanted to be swallowed. “I need-.”

“Need?” Jinyoung taunted, placing a kiss on the tip. Mark shivered again, his hips moving at the touch. “You need this?”

“Yes.” Mark answered breathlessly. 

Rubbing his tongue along the length, he used his teeth to add onto the pleasure before taking him whole. Mark moaned, eyes closing at the wet heat. He reached for Jinyoung’s hair, gripping it roughly as Jinyoung moved, his head bobbing up and down in service. 

“Fuck.” Mark panted out as Jinyoung continued, ignoring the roughness Mark used to control his speed. 

Jinyoung relaxed his throat, allowing Mark to go as deep as he could. He glanced up at his panting lover, taking pleasure at the sight. 

The sight was beautiful.

Using a hand, he slowly began to free himself from his pajama pants before reaching his other hand to Mark's lips. The man looked on in confusion as Jinyoung stuck his fingers through parted lips, but he caught on quickly as he sucked the digits, twirling his tongue around as he made sure to drench them all in sweat. 

He kept his head still as Marks hips bucked harder, allowing the man lost in pleasure to fuck his face. He swallowed when he could, adding onto the pleasure as Mark lost himself. 

“Jin-.” Mark hissed, fingers leaving his mouth as he was pressed to the ledge. He was close, he wouldn’t last much longer. “It’s- I.”

Pulling his hand back, Jinyoung caressed Mark's hole, pressing up against it, he slowly pressed in. One finger broke through the tight heat. Mark's hips continued to thrust, Jinyoung beginning to bob his head to meet him.

Jinyoung's eyes widened as he was pushed back. A foot connected with his shoulder and he sat up, catching himself at the force of the kick as he nearly fell off of the bed.

“Shit, I’m sorry.” Mark apologized, his tone filled with regret and his eyes filled with worry. He sat up as well, reaching for Jinyoung but hesitating to touch him. He ignored his pulsing reaction as he checked on his younger lover. “I don’t... I- I.”

“It’s fine.” Jinyoung reassured, massaging the part of his shoulder that was just abused by Mark's foot. It wasn’t that it hurt, but he hadn’t been expecting it. This was the first time Mark had rejected him so violently. “I’m just a little confused.”

Mark flushed, shame changing his demeanor. Jinyoung didn’t like this. His Mark had more confidence. Pulling his knees to his chest, Marks gaze glazed. Jinyoung felt lost. Had he done something to cause this?

“Mark?” He whispered, reaching out to grab his hand and squeezing as he offered a small form of comfort. “What’s wrong? Talk to me.”

Biting his lip, Mark lowered his gaze. Jinyoung was worried the man would shut him out. He didn’t want that. He wanted Mark to trust him enough to talk to him.

He kept in mind not to press too hard. If Mark wanted to tell him Jinyoung would listen, if not then he would wait. 

“I’m not the same.”

Jinyoung blinked.

“I’m not the same as I was before my father.” Mark stopped himself, looking Jinyoung in the eyes. He shook, quivering as he remembered his time with his Raymond. Jinyoung wished he were alive so he could kill him again. “He did… he did things that I… he touched in places, entered things in places that I- things I can’t-.”

“I get it.” Jinyoung cut it, breaking Mark from his panic as he squeezed the man's hand. He scooted closer on the bed, leaning forward to kiss Mark on the forehead in reassurance. “I know he did things to you, things that affected you in ways I would never understand, but don’t force yourself. You don’t have to tell me until you’re ready. I’ll be right here when you are, I promise.”

Silence settled between the two, Mark sniffling as tears fell from his eyes. He leaned forward, spreading his legs as Jinyoung slipped between them, pulling him into a tight embrace. 

“Thank you.” He whispered somberly. Kissing Jinyoung on the neck before pulling away. His tears had dried, his gaze darkening as he looked down, eyeing Jinyoung hardened length. Leaning forward, he pecked Jinyoung on the lips before placing another. “Can we try again?”

Jinyoung smiled into the kiss, following Mark as the older man laid back. Mark wrapped his arms around his neck, bending his knees and opening his legs wide as Jinyoung settled between them. Reaching over, Jinyoung grabbed a condom from the nightstand and opened the packaging, spreading the latex over his leaking rod and pressing himself against his panting lover. 

It didn’t take much for Mark to return to his previous state. Jinyoung gripped Mark, pumping slow as he slowly worked his finger into Mark. He watched carefully for any form of hesitation as Mark winced, the first finger pressing through before the second one joined. 

He scissored the man, pumping a little faster every time Mark winced. Jinyoung needed to take his mind away from the memory. He needed Mark to lose himself in the pleasure and not care about anything else. 

Bending his back, he met Mark's mouth in an open mouth kiss. He hummed at the moan that greeted him as he forced his tongue into parted lips, playing with the wet limb and exploring places as though it were new territory. Marks hips bucked as he entered a third finger, his hand leaving Marks hardness to hold himself up as he made out with his lover. 

This was enough. He glanced at Mark's contorted face, the pleasure undeniable as his kisses grew sloppy. He could no longer keep up with Jinyoung. He was letting himself go. 

Positioning himself at Marks entrance, he slowly pressed in. Mark moaned loudly at the sensation, the sound ending as a whimper as Jinyoung pulled away, hissing at the tightness he was met with. 

“Shit, you’re tight.” The pleasure was blinding, eyes closing as they marveled in the feeling. Jinyoung had missed this feeling. He missed the pleasure being connected to Mark gave him. 

“Move.” Mark whimpered, using his nails to dig in Jinyoung’s back as the younger man moved, thrusting slowly as the man adjusted before gradually picking up the pace. His thrust became powerful as Mark's whines grew, unwillingly as the pleasure took control of him. 

Jinyoung bit at Mark's lips, hissing as nails scratched down his back. The warmth surrounding his dick was a pleasure unlike any other. He thrusted full force, holding back nothing as he did. He sat up, grabbing hold of the headboard for added support as his other hand grabbed hold of Mark's leg, lifting it and bending him for better access. He lifted it above his shoulder, holding it there as he moved. He kissed the leg, watching as Mark's head was thrown back, mouth wide as he felt everything.

Mark could only let out a string of moans, his words coming out as mewls as he begged for Jinyoung to keep going. His toes clenched as the angle deepened; the bed shook under them. He lifted a hand, stopping his head from hitting the headboard as Jinyoung’s pushed him, while he reached up to grab Jinyoung’s anchored arm, digging his nails in as he tried to hold on.

The slapping of skin filled the room, mixing with the moans, the groans, and the creaking of the bed.

Feeling nothing but the sensation of Mark's thrust and not knowing what to do, Mark reached up, pulling Jinyoung down by the neck and forcing him to meet him in an open mouth kiss. 

Allowing Mark to pull him down, he released the headboard, dropping down to meet Mark's kiss and using his other hand to hold him up. Fatigue was kicking in, he wouldn’t be able to hold himself up for much longer, and with the added weight of Mark's leg he would fall even sooner. 

Jinyoung’s thrusts slowed as they kissed but he kept his pace steady. He pulled away, smiling at Mark as his eyes glazed over. He was lost in the pleaser, no thoughts in his mind other than Jinyoung. He felt a sense of pride as Mark continued to blindly reach out to him, whimpers mixing with moans as he wanted for Jinyoung.

Jinyoung stopped abruptly, pulling Mark from his trance as he was pulled up. Keeping them connected he lifted the smaller man, placing him on his lap and placing Marks legs on either side of him. Mark wrapped his arms around his shoulders instantly, his hips moving in circles as they kissed. Tongues dancing as their sweaty bodies slid against one another.

“Ride me.” Jinyoung ordered between kisses, laying back as he kept hold of Mark's hips.

Mark's eyes were glazed, his look wonton as he bounced. He kept his hands flat on Jinyoung’s stomach as he moved, his speed iritic, and pace uneven. He kept his eyes locked on Jinyoung’s, feeling hotter as Jinyoung's heated gaze watched him. It turned him on, unbelievably so, watching Jinyoung watch him. 

Jinyoung moaned, feeling heat rise more as he watched his lover. More than anything, he felt trusted as he watched Mark unwind. There was no rhythm to his movements, and he could feel himself unwind as he watched his dick disappear into the beautiful body above him. He reached out, using his hand to touch Marks body, fingers toying with nipples as he did. Mark grabbed hold of Jinyoung’s hand, lacing their fingers together.

Finding his own release nearing, he watched with weighted eyes as Mark bounced, gripping Mark's hip tightly as the other continued to hold Mark's hand. He trusted his hips up, meeting Mark in a forceful slap. He continued on, pushing himself and his lover to their limits. They wouldn’t last long.

“Jin- I, ah, I can’t hold on-.” Mark panting, words jumbling together as his eyes clenched closed.

“I know,” Jinyoung whispered, his own climax reaching its limit. “Me too.”

They both cried out, Mark releasing his seed into Jinyoung’s stomach and Jinyoung releasing into Mark. Mark dropped, landing on Jinyoung chest in an umph.

He leaned up, placing sensual kisses on Jinyoung’s lips. His hips continued in slow motions, milking Jinyoung dry as his own length was rubbed between their bodies. Mark was coming down from his high, this was Jinyoung’s favorite part.

“That was good.” Mark praised between kisses, pants leaving his lips as his heart raced erratically in his chest. “So fucking good.”

Jinyoung only chuckled, continuing to give Mark the affection he craved as he tried to calm his own beating heart. He considered pushing Mark to the side and setting a bath for them, but he decided against it. What Mark needed right now was unbiased affection. He needed physical contact with the man he loved and Jinyoung would provide it for as long as Mark needed. The bath could wait until his lover had calmed. 

They had all the time they needed. 

##

“Have you thought about it?” Jaebeom asked, clicking his pen in an annoying matter.

Mark sat; hand laced with Jinyoung’s as he eyed his friend. No smile decorated his normally relaxed face.

It had been 2 weeks since he had woken up. Jinyoung and Mark were official, and they were very public with their relationship. JB wouldn’t be able to send him to any more matchmaking meetings to annoy him. 

Jinyoung had never been happier.

“I thought about it.” Mark answered nonchalantly.

There had been a position that was vacant with Raymond’s death. The Tuan family in America wanted their leader, their true leader, and they would agree to never step foot in South Korea if their heir came home. 

It confused Jinyoung since the family no longer held any power. They were now a subsidiary branch of JYP, so it didn’t really matter who they chose to lead them. It was even more surprising that Jaebeom had agreed to let them continue on. 

Jaebeom had told Mark of the message last week and gave his old friend a week to think about it.

Jinyoung eyed the members in the room. The meeting was supposed to be private, but it wasn’t possible. First Jackson had shown up, claiming Mark was his best friend and he had rights. Then Bambam and Yugyeom showed up, claiming they had given up their lives to Mark, so it was only fair. Youngjae was the only one who didn’t have an excuse. He simply appeared and sat quietly in the corner, anxiously waiting for the answer like the rest of them.

“And?” Jaebeom prompted. “Keep in mind Jinyoung has to stay here even if you decided to leave. He’s my underboss.”

“And keep in mind you’ll have to live without me. We finally rekindled our relationship and I can’t protect you if you’re in America.” Jackson spoke up, his eyes bright.

“I can’t go back to America. There’s nothing but bad memories there.” Bambam spoke with surprising seriousness. He grabbed hold of Jackson's hand before letting it go.

“I just don’t want to go back, but if you go I guess I’ll have no choice but to hate my life.” Yugyeom offered his opinion, pouting with his arms crossed over his chest.

“I won’t go visit you, sorry. American food doesn’t get along with my stomach.” Youngjae smiled, ignoring the bizarre looks as he finished his piece.

Mark eyed his friends, the family he had chosen. He looked at Jinyoung who watched him with trust. He had already talked to Jinyoung about his decision, but the man had told him he would support him regardless.

To go back to America and rebuild the family was his duty as a mafioso, his duty as Raymond Tuans son, but to stay in Korea and live a life in freedom was the life he truly desired. He didn’t have rules, he didn’t have a leader, and as long as Jaebeom understood his carefree ways, something that he had learned a long time ago, he would be happier in Korea. 

He was done with the Tuan family; he had been since he first was taken to America.

It helped that Jinyoung gave amazing head.

“Well, I don’t think I could live without Jinyoung. Why would I want to leave Jackson after all this time? I would hate to bring back Bambam’s shitty memories. I don’t want Yugyeom to come to hate me and having to come to Korea just to see Youngjae is a hassle.” He blinked, looking at Jaebeom who smiled softly. He squeezed Jinyoung’s hand, grinning wide as the man flushed. “Besides, I think I like being a kept man.”

Grins broke out on faces. Their family was truly complete.

“I guess I’m staying.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the last chapter of "Will to Live." I honestly hadn't expected it to drag on for as long as it had but thank you for staying with me through this crazy journey. For those of you who took the time to comment on nearly every chapter, you don't understand how much that helped me continue writing this. For those of you who commented at all, you've given me strength. There were a few times I wanted to give up on this story but every comment gave me the will to continue on. 
> 
> Notes:  
> I don't know where the JackBam came from, it kind of just happened.  
> Peniel and Sakura was a strange connection, but it somehow happened.  
> MarkJin will finally live in peace, and Mark likes being a kept man.  
> He'll probably end up taking an advisor role in JYP, much like Raymond was to Jinyoung.  
> Maybe he'll go back to being a doctor? 
> 
> If you have any ideas for another story drop a message or comment below. I already have an idea forming, and I may start writing again soon, but it may take a while.  
> It's bittersweet to say goodbye to this story, but with this I bid thee farewell~  
> Until next time <3


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